¹⁶ the people who sat in darkness
    have seen a great light.
And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow,
    a light has shined.”^[a]

^2 [a]The people who walk in darkness
    will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,^[b]
    a light will shine.

⁶ “I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness.
    I will take you by the hand and guard you,
and I will give you to my people, Israel,
    as a symbol of my covenant with them.
And you will be a light to guide the nations.
⁷     You will open the eyes of the blind.
You will free the captives from prison,
    releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.

⁷⁸ Because of God’s tender mercy,
    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,^[a]
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    and to guide us to the path of peace.”

¹⁰ Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom,
    imprisoned in iron chains of misery.
¹¹ They rebelled against the words of God,
    scorning the counsel of the Most High.
¹² That is why he broke them with hard labor;
    they fell, and no one was there to help them.
¹³ “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
    and he saved them from their distress.
¹⁴ He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom;
    he snapped their chains.

⁸ Do not gloat over me, my enemies!
    For though I fall, I will rise again.
Though I sit in darkness,
    the Lord will be my light.

⁸ It is the Lord who created the stars,
    the Pleiades and Orion.
He turns darkness into morning
    and day into night.
He draws up water from the oceans
    and pours it down as rain on the land.
    The Lord is his name!

³² He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
    and he is the glory of your people Israel!”