44
1 Yet
listen now, Jacob
my servant,
and Israel, whom
I have chosen.
2 This
is what the
LORD who made
you,
and formed you
from the womb,
who will help
you says:
“Don’t be afraid,
Jacob my servant;
and you, Jeshurun,
whom I have chosen.
3 For
I will pour
water on him
who is thirsty,
and streams on
the dry ground.
I will pour
my Spirit on
your descendants,
and my blessing
on your offspring;
4 and
they will spring
up among the
grass,
as willows by
the watercourses.
5 One
will say, ‘I
am the LORD’s.’
Another will be
called by the
name of Jacob;
and another will
write with his
hand ‘to the
LORD,’
and honor the
name of Israel.”
6 This
is what the
LORD, the King
of Israel,
and his Redeemer,
the LORD of
Armies, says:
“I am the
first, and I
am the last;
and besides me
there is no
God.
7 Who
is like me?
Who will call,
and will declare
it,
and set it
in order for
me,
since I established
the ancient people?
Let them declare
the things that
are coming,
and that
will happen.
8 Don’t fear,
neither be afraid.
Haven’t I declared
it to you
long ago,
and shown it?
You are my
witnesses.
Is there a
God besides me?
Indeed, there is
not.
I don’t know any
other Rock.”
9 Everyone
who makes a
carved image is
vain.
The things that
they delight in
will not profit.
Their own witnesses don’t
see, nor know,
that they may
be disappointed.
10 Who
has fashioned a
god,
or molds an image
that is profitable
for nothing?
11 Behold,
all his fellows
will be disappointed;
and the workmen
are mere men.
Let them all be
gathered together.
Let them stand up.
They will fear.
They will be put
to shame together.
12 The
blacksmith takes an ax,
works in the
coals,
fashions it with
hammers,
and works it
with his strong
arm.
He is hungry,
and his
strength fails;
he drinks no
water,
and is faint.
13 The
carpenter stretches
out a line.
He marks it out
with a pencil.
He shapes it
with planes.
He marks it out
with compasses,
and shapes it
like the figure
of a man,
with the beauty
of a man,
to reside in
a house.
14 He
cuts down cedars
for himself,
and takes the
cypress and
the oak,
and strengthens for
himself one among the
trees of the
forest.
He plants a
cypress tree,
and the
rain nourishes it.
15 Then
it will be
for a man to
burn;
and he takes
some of it
and warms himself.
Yes, he burns it
and bakes bread.
Yes, he makes
a god and worships
it;
he makes it
a carved image,
and falls down
to it.
16 He
burns part of
it in the fire.
With part of
it, he eats meat.
He roasts a
roast and is
satisfied.
Yes, he
warms himself
and says, “Aha!
I am warm. I
have seen
the fire.”
17 The
rest of it
he makes into
a god,
even his engraved
image.
He bows down
to it and
worships,
and prays to
it, and says, “Deliver
me, for you
are my god!”
18 They don’t
know, neither do
they consider,
for he has
shut their eyes,
that they can’t
see,
and their hearts,
that they can’t
understand.
19 No
one thinks,
neither is there
knowledge nor
understanding to
say,
“I have burned
part of it
in the fire.
Yes, I have
also baked bread
on its coals.
I have roasted
meat and eaten it.
Shall I make
the rest of
it into an
abomination?
Shall I bow
down to a
tree trunk?”
20 He
feeds on ashes.
A deceived heart
has turned him
aside;
and he can’t
deliver his soul,
nor say, “Isn’t there a
lie in my
right hand?”
21 Remember
these things,
Jacob and Israel,
for you are
my servant.
I have formed
you.
You are my
servant.
Israel, you will
not be forgotten
by me.
22 I
have blotted out,
as a thick
cloud, your
transgressions,
and, as a
cloud, your sins.
Return to me,
for I have
redeemed you.
23 Sing,
you heavens, for
the LORD has
done it!
Shout, you lower
parts of the
earth!
Break out into
singing, you
mountains, O
forest, all of
your trees,
for the LORD
has redeemed Jacob,
and will glorify
himself in Israel.
24 The
LORD, your
Redeemer,
and he who
formed you from
the womb says:
“I am the
LORD, who makes
all things;
who alone
stretches out the
heavens;
who spreads out
the earth
by myself;
25 who
frustrates the signs
of the liars,
and makes
diviners mad;
who turns wise
men backward,
and makes their
knowledge foolish;
26 who
confirms the word
of his servant,
and performs the
counsel of his
messengers;
who says of
Jerusalem, ‘She
will be inhabited;’
and of the
cities of Judah,
‘They will be
built,’
and ‘I will
raise up its
waste places;’
27 who says to
the deep, ‘Be dry,’
and ‘I will dry
up your rivers,’
28 who says
of Cyrus, ‘He
is my shepherd,
and shall perform
all my pleasure,’
even saying of
Jerusalem, ‘She will
be built;’
and of the
temple, ‘Your
foundation will be
laid.’ ”