45
1 The
LORD says to
his anointed, to
Cyrus, whose right
hand I have
held to subdue
nations before him
and strip kings of
their armor, to
open the doors
before him, and
the gates shall
not be shut:
2 “I
will go before
you
and make the
rough places
smooth.
I will break
the doors of
bronze in pieces
and cut apart the
bars of iron.
3 I
will give you
the treasures of
darkness
and hidden riches
of secret places,
that you may
know that it
is I, the
LORD, who calls
you by your
name,
even the God
of Israel.
4 For
Jacob my servant’s
sake,
and Israel my
chosen,
I have called
you by your
name.
I have given
you a title,
though you have
not known me.
5 I
am the LORD,
and there is
no one else.
Besides me, there
is no God.
I will strengthen
you,
though you have
not known me,
6 that
they may know
from the rising
of the sun,
and from the
west,
that there is
no one besides
me.
I am the
LORD, and there
is no one
else.
7 I
form the light
and create
darkness.
I make peace
and create
calamity.
I am the
LORD,
who does all
these things.
8 Rain,
you heavens, from
above,
and let the skies
pour down
righteousness.
Let the earth
open, that it
may produce salvation,
and let it cause
righteousness to
spring up with
it.
I, the LORD,
have created it.
9 Woe
to him who strives
with his Maker—
a clay pot among
the clay pots of
the earth!
Shall the clay ask
him who fashions
it, ‘What are
you making?’
or your work, ‘He
has no hands’?
10 Woe
to him who says
to a father, ‘What
have you become
the father of?’
or to a mother, ‘What
have you given
birth to?’ ”
11 The
LORD, the Holy
One of Israel
and his Maker
says:
“You ask me
about the things
that are to
come, concerning
my sons,
and you command
me concerning the
work of my
hands!
12 I
have made the
earth, and created
man on it.
I, even my
hands, have
stretched out the
heavens.
I have commanded
all their army.
13 I
have raised him
up in
righteousness,
and I will
make all his
ways straight.
He shall build
my city,
and he shall
let my exiles
go free,
not for price
nor reward,” says
the LORD of
Armies.
14 The
LORD says: “The
labor of Egypt,
and the
merchandise of
Ethiopia,
and the Sabeans,
men of stature,
will come over
to you,
and they will
be yours.
They will go
after you.
They shall come
over in chains.
They will bow
down to you.
They will make
supplication to
you:
‘Surely God is
in you; and
there is no
one else.
There is no
other god.
15 Most certainly
you are a God
who has hidden
yourself,
God of Israel,
the Savior.’ ”
16 They
will be disappointed,
yes, confounded,
all of them.
Those who are
makers of idols
will go into
confusion together.
17 Israel
will be saved
by the LORD
with an
everlasting salvation.
You will not
be disappointed nor
confounded to ages
everlasting.
18 For
the LORD who
created the
heavens,
the God who
formed the earth
and made it,
who established
it and didn’t
create it a
waste,
who formed it
to be inhabited
says:
“I am the
LORD.
There is no
other.
19 I
have not spoken
in secret,
in a place
of the land
of darkness.
I didn’t say to
the offspring of
Jacob, ‘Seek me
in vain.’
I, the LORD,
speak righteousness.
I declare things
that are right.
20 “Assemble
yourselves and
come.
Draw near
together, you who
have escaped from
the nations.
Those have no
knowledge who
carry the wood
of their engraved
image,
and pray to
a god that
can’t save.
21 Declare
and present it.
Yes, let them
take counsel
together.
Who has shown
this from ancient
time?
Who has declared
it of old?
Haven’t I, the
LORD?
There is no
other God besides
me, a just
God and a
Savior.
There is no
one besides me.
22 “Look
to me, and
be saved, all
the ends of
the earth;
for I am God, and
there is no
other.
23 I
have sworn
by myself.
The word has
gone out of
my mouth in
righteousness, and
will not be
revoked,
that to me
every knee shall
bow,
every tongue
shall take an
oath.
24 They
will say of me,
‘There is
righteousness and
strength only in
the LORD.’ ”
Even to him
will men come.
All those who
raged against him
will be disappointed.
25 All
the offspring of
Israel will be
justified in the
LORD,
and will rejoice!