Isaiah 51:9-16

Common English Bible

Awake, arm of the Lord

⁹Awake, awake, put on strength,
    arm of the Lord.
Awake as in times past,
    generations long ago.
Aren’t you the one who crushed Rahab,
    who pierced the dragon?
¹⁰Didn’t you dry up the sea,
    the waters of the great deep?
    And didn’t you make the redeemed a road to cross
    through the depths of the sea,
    a road for the redeemed to pass?
¹¹Then let those ransomed by the Lord return
    and come to Zion with singing
    and with everlasting joy upon their heads.
Let happiness and joy overwhelm them;
    let grief and groaning flee.

¹²I, I am the one who comforts you.
Why should you fear humans who will die,
    mortals who are treated like grass?
¹³You forgot the Lord your maker,
    the one who stretched out the heavens
    and founded the earth.
    You were continually afraid, all day long,
    on account of the oppressor’s wrath—
    a fear by which they intend to destroy you.
    Where now is the oppressor’s wrath?
¹⁴The imprisoned ones will soon be released;
    they won’t die in the pit
    or even lack bread.
¹⁵I am the Lord your God,
    who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
    the Lord of heavenly forces is his name.
¹⁶I put my words in your mouth
    and hid you in the shadow of my hand,
    stretching out^[a] the heavens, founding the earth,
    and saying to Zion, “You are my people.”