Add parallel Print Page Options

15 Yes, truth is gone,
    and anyone who renounces evil is attacked.

The Lord looked and was displeased
    to find there was no justice.
16 He was amazed to see that no one intervened
    to help the oppressed.
So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm,
    and his justice sustained him.
17 He put on righteousness as his body armor
    and placed the helmet of salvation on his head.
He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance
    and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion.
18 He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds.
    His fury will fall on his foes.
    He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth.
19 In the west, people will respect the name of the Lord;
    in the east, they will glorify him.
For he will come like a raging flood tide
    driven by the breath of the Lord.[a]

20 “The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem
    to buy back those in Israel
who have turned from their sins,”[b]
    says the Lord.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 59:19 Or When the enemy comes like a raging flood tide, / the Spirit of the Lord will drive him back.
  2. 59:20 Hebrew The Redeemer will come to Zion / to buy back those in Jacob / who have turned from their sins. Greek version reads The one who rescues will come on behalf of Zion, / and he will turn Jacob away from ungodliness. Compare Rom 11:26.

15 Truth is missing;
    anyone turning from evil is plundered.

God will intervene

The Lord looked and was upset at the absence of justice.
16 Seeing that there was no one,
    and astonished that no one would intervene,
    God’s arm brought victory,
    upheld by righteousness,
17     putting on righteousness as armor
    and a helmet of salvation on his head,
    putting on garments of vengeance,
    and wrapping himself in a cloak of zeal.
18 God will repay according to their actions:
    wrath to his foes, retribution to enemies,
    retribution to the coastlands,
19     so those in the west will fear the Lord’s name,
    and those in the east will fear God’s glory.
It will come like a rushing river
    that the Lord’s wind drives on.
20 A redeemer will come to Zion
    and to those in Jacob who stop rebelling,
    says the Lord.

Read full chapter