Isaiah 52 · Deliverance for Jerusalem

1Awake, awake, O Zion!Clothe yourself in splendor;Put on your robes of majesty,Jerusalem, holy city!For the uncircumcised and the impureShall never enter you again.

2Arise, shake off the dust,Sit [on your throne], Jerusalem!Loose the bonds from your neck,O captive one, Fair Zion!

3For thus said GOD:You were sold for no price,And shall be redeemed without money.

4For thus said my Sovereign GOD:Of old, My people went downTo Egypt to sojourn there;But Assyria has robbed them,Giving nothing in return.

5What therefore do I gain here?—declares GOD—For My people has been carried off for nothing,Their mockers howl—declares GOD—And constantly, unceasingly,My name is reviled.

6Assuredly, My people shall learn My name,Assuredly [they shall learn] on that dayThat I, the One who promised,Am now at hand.

7How welcome on the mountainAre the footsteps of the heraldAnnouncing happiness,Heralding good fortune,Announcing victory,Telling Zion, “Your God reigns!”

8Hark!Your lookouts raise their voices,As one they shout for joy;For every eye shall behold GOD ’s return to Zion.

9Raise a shout together,O ruins of Jerusalem!For GOD will comfort this people,Will redeem Jerusalem.

10GOD will bare a holy armIn the sight of all the nations,And the very ends of earth shall seeThe victory of our God.

11Turn, turn away, touch naught impureAs you depart from there;Keep pure, as you go forth from there,You who bear the vessels of GOD!

12For you will not depart in haste,Nor will you leave in flight;For GOD is marching before you,The God of Israel is your rear guard.

13“Indeed, My servant shall prosper,Be exalted and raised to great heights.

14Just as the many were appalled at him—So marred was his appearance, unlike that of a person,His form, beyond human semblance—

15Just so he shall startle many nations.Kings shall be silenced because of him,For they shall see what has not been told them,Shall behold what they never have heard.”