Healing and Peace

14 He said,
“Build it up, build it up, prepare the way,
remove every obstacle from my people’s way.”(A)
15 For the High and Exalted One,
who lives forever, whose name is holy,(B) says this:
“I live in a high and holy place,
and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit,(C)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and revive the heart of the oppressed.(D)
16 For I will not accuse you forever,
and I will not always be angry;(E)
for then the spirit would grow weak before me,
even the breath, which I have made.
17 Because of his sinful greed I was angry,(F)
so I struck him; I was angry and hid;
but he went on turning back to the desires of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will lead him and restore comfort
to him and his mourners,(G)
19 creating words of praise.”[a](H)
The Lord says,
“Peace, peace to the one who is far or near,(I)
and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea,(J)
for it cannot be still,
and its water churns up mire and muck.
21 There is no peace for the wicked,”
says my God.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. 57:19 Lit creating fruit of the lips

A Promise of Help and Healing

14 It shall be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way;
    remove every obstruction from my people’s way.”(A)
15 For thus says the high and lofty one
    who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
I dwell in the high and holy place
    and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.(B)
16 For I will not continually accuse,
    nor will I always be angry,
for then the spirits would grow faint before me,
    even the souls that I have made.(C)
17 Because of their wicked covetousness I was angry;
    I struck them; I hid and was angry,
    but they kept turning back to their own ways.(D)
18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;
    I will lead them and repay them with comfort,
19     creating for their mourners the fruit of the lips.[a]
Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord,
    and I will heal them.(E)
20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea
    that cannot keep still;
    its waters toss up mire and mud.(F)
21 There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 57.19 Meaning of Heb uncertain