3

The Wickedness of Jerusalem

  1Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted,
   To the oppressing city!
   2She has not obeyed His voice,
   She has not received correction;
   She has not trusted in the Lord,
   She has not drawn near to her God.
  3Her princes in her midst are roaring lions;
   Her judges areevening wolves
   That leave not a bone till morning.
   4Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people;
   Her priests have polluted the sanctuary,
   They have done violence to the law.
   5The Lordis righteous in her midst,
   He will do no unrighteousness.
   Every morning He brings His justice to light;
   He never fails,
   But the unjust knows no shame.
  6“I have cut off nations,
   Their fortresses are devastated;
   I have made their streets desolate,
   With none passing by.
   Their cities are destroyed;
   There is no one, no inhabitant.
   7I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me,
   You will receive instruction’—
   So that her dwelling would not be cut off,
   Despite everything for which I punished her.
   But they rose early and corrupted all their deeds.

A Faithful Remnant

  8“Therefore wait for Me,” says the Lord,
   “Until the day I rise up for plunder;
   My determination is to gather the nations
   To My assembly of kingdoms,
   To pour on them My indignation,
   All My fierce anger;
   All the earth shall be devoured
   With the fire of My jealousy.
   9“For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language,
   That they all may call on the name of the Lord,
   To serve Him with one accord.
   10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
   My worshipers,
   The daughter of My dispersed ones,
   Shall bring My offering.
   11In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds
   In which you transgress against Me;
   For then I will take away from your midst
   Those who rejoice in your pride,
   And you shall no longer be haughty
   In My holy mountain.
   12I will leave in your midst
   A meek and humble people,
   And they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
   13The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness
   And speak no lies,
   Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth;
   For they shall feed their flocks and lie down,
   And no one shall make them afraid.”

Joy in God’s Faithfulness

  14Sing, O daughter of Zion!
   Shout, O Israel!
   Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
   O daughter of Jerusalem!
   15The Lord has taken away your judgments,
   He has cast out your enemy.
   The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
   You shall see disaster no more.
  16In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
   “Do not fear;
   Zion, let not your hands be weak.
   17The Lord your God in your midst,
   The Mighty One, will save;
   He will rejoice over you with gladness,
   He will quiet you with His love,
   He will rejoice over you with singing.”
  18“I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly,
   Who are among you,
   To whom its reproach is a burden.
   19Behold, at that time
   I will deal with all who afflict you;
   I will save the lame,
   And gather those who were driven out;
   I will appoint them for praise and fame
   In every land where they were put to shame.
   20At that time I will bring you back,
   Even at the time I gather you;
   For I will give you fame and praise
   Among all the peoples of the earth,
   When I return your captives before your eyes,”
   Says the Lord.