The Lord

54 ¹“Sing gladly, O barren[1] one, who has not given birth;
break forth into singing and cry aloud, who did not labor with child;

for more are the children of the desolate
than the children of the married wife,”

Isaiah

says the LORD.

The Lord

⁴Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
and be not confounded, for you will not be put to shame;

for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and you will not remember the dishonor of your widowhood anymore.

⁵For Your Maker is your Husband; the LORD of Hosts is His name,
and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth, will He be called.

⁶For the LORD has called you, as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
and a wife of youth, when you were refused,”

Isaiah

says your God.

The Lord

⁷“For a small moment, I forsook you,
but with great mercies, I will gather you.

⁸In a flood of wrath I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting loving-kindness I will have compassion on you,”

Isaiah

says the LORD your Redeemer.

The Lord

⁹“For this to Me like the waters of Noah,
for I swore that the waters of Noah should no longer go over the earth;
so, I swore that I would not be angry with you nor rebuke you.

¹⁰For the mountains will depart,
and the hills will totter,

but My loving-kindness will not depart from you,
nor will the covenant of My [people][2] totter,”

Isaiah

says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

The Lord

¹¹“O afflicted female,
tossed with tempest, not comforted!

Behold, I will set your stones with antimony,
and lay your foundations with sapphires[3],

¹²and make your battlements of rubies,
and your gates of beryl,
and all your walls of precious stones.”

¹³And all your children will be taught of the LORD,
and great will be the peace of your children.

¹⁴In righteousness you will be established.
Keep far from oppression, for you will not fear,
and from terror, for it will not come near you.

¹⁵“Behold, if anyone will surely stir up strife [against you][4], it is not of Me;
whoever will stir up strife against you will fall for your sake.

¹⁶Behold, I have created the smith that blows the fire of coals
and who brings forth a tool for his work;
and I have created the destroyer to destroy.

¹⁷No weapon that is formed against you will prosper,
and every tongue that will rise against you in judgment you will declare guilty.

This is the inheritance of the servants of the LORD,
and their righteousness is of Me,”

Isaiah

declares the LORD.