Isaiah 26
A strong city and perfect peace
In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation will he appoint for walls and bulwarks. 2Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth truth may enter in. 3Thou wilt keep [him ]in perfect peace, [whose ]mind [is ]stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee.
4Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is an everlasting rock. 5For he hath brought down them that dwell on high, the lofty city: he layeth it low, he layeth it low even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust. 6The foot shall tread it down; even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.
7The way of the just is uprightness: thou that art up right dost direct the path of the just. 8Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; to thy name and to thy memorial is the desire of our soul. 9With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
10Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness will he deal wrongfully, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD. 11LORD, thy hand is lifted up, yet they see not: but they shall see [thy ]zeal for the people, and be ashamed; yea, fire shall devour thine adversaries. 12LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou hast also wrought all our works for us.
13O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us; but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. 14[They are ]dead, they shall not live; [they are ]deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. 15Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation; thou art glorified: thou hast enlarged all the borders of the land.
16LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer [when ]thy chastening was upon them. 17Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been before thee, O LORD. 18We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
19Thy dead shall live; my dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is [as ]the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth the dead. 20Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.