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The Eternal Covenant of Peace

54 Shout for joy, O barren one who has borne no children;
    burst into song and shout,
    you who have not been in labor!
For the children of the desolate woman will be more
    than the children of the one who is married, says the Lord.(A)
Enlarge the site of your tent,
    and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords
    and strengthen your stakes.(B)
For you will spread out to the right and to the left,
    and your descendants will possess nations
    and will settle desolate towns.(C)

Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
    do not be discouraged, for you will not suffer disgrace,
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
    and the disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more.(D)
For your Maker is your husband;
    the Lord of hosts is his name;
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
    the God of the whole earth he is called.(E)
For the Lord has called you
    like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
like the wife of a man’s youth when she is cast off,
    says your God.(F)
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
    but with great compassion I will gather you.(G)
In overflowing wrath for a moment
    I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,
    says the Lord, your Redeemer.(H)

This is like the days of Noah to me:
    Just as I swore that the waters of Noah
    would never again go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
    and will not rebuke you.(I)
10 For the mountains may depart
    and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
    and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
    says the Lord, who has compassion on you.(J)

11 O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted,
    I am about to set your stones in antimony
    and lay your foundations with sapphires.[a](K)
12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
    your gates of jewels,
    and all your wall of precious stones.
13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
    and great shall be the prosperity of your children.(L)
14 In righteousness you shall be established;
    you shall be far from oppression; indeed, you shall not fear;
    and from terror; indeed, it shall not come near you.(M)
15 If anyone stirs up strife,
    it is not from me;
whoever stirs up strife with you
    shall fall because of you.(N)
16 See, it is I who have created the smith
    who blows the fire of coals
    and produces a weapon fit for its purpose;
I have also created the ravager to destroy.
17     No weapon that is fashioned against you shall prosper,
    and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord
    and their vindication from me, says the Lord.(O)

Footnotes

  1. 54.11 Or lapis lazuli