59
1 Behold,
the LORD’s hand
is not shortened,
that it can’t
save;
nor his ear
dull, that it
can’t hear.
2 But
your iniquities
have separated you
and your God,
and your sins
have hidden his
face from you,
so that he
will not hear.
3 For
your hands are
defiled with blood,
and your fingers
with iniquity.
Your lips have
spoken lies.
Your tongue
mutters wickedness.
4 No one
sues in
righteousness,
and no one pleads
in truth.
They trust in
vanity
and speak lies.
They conceive
mischief
and give birth
to iniquity.
5 They hatch
adders’ eggs
and weave the spider’s
web.
He who eats of their
eggs dies;
and that which
is crushed breaks
out into a viper.
6 Their
webs won’t become garments.
They won’t cover themselves
with their works.
Their works are
works of iniquity,
and acts of
violence are in
their hands.
7 Their
feet run to
evil,
and they hurry
to shed innocent
blood.
Their thoughts
are thoughts
of iniquity.
Desolation and
destruction are in
their paths.
8 They don’t
know the way
of peace;
and there is
no justice in
their ways.
They have made
crooked paths for
themselves;
whoever goes in
them doesn’t know
peace.
9 Therefore
justice is far
from us,
and righteousness doesn’t
overtake us.
We look for light,
but see darkness;
for brightness,
but we walk
in obscurity.
10 We
grope for the
wall like the
blind.
Yes, we grope as
those who have no
eyes.
We stumble at
noon as if it
were twilight.
Among those who
are strong, we are
like dead men.
11 We
all roar like
bears
and moan sadly
like doves.
We look for
justice, but there
is none,
for salvation,
but it is
far off from
us.
12 For
our transgressions
are multiplied
before you,
and our sins
testify against us;
for our
transgressions are
with us,
and as for
our iniquities, we
know them:
13 transgressing and
denying the LORD,
and turning away
from following our
God,
speaking oppression
and revolt,
conceiving and
uttering from the
heart words of
falsehood.
14 Justice
is turned away backward,
and righteousness
stands far away;
for truth has
fallen in the
street,
and uprightness
can’t enter.
15 Yes, truth
is lacking;
and he who departs
from evil makes
himself a prey.
The LORD saw
it,
and it displeased
him that there
was no justice.
16 He
saw that there
was no man,
and wondered that
there was no
intercessor.
Therefore his own
arm brought
salvation to him;
and his
righteousness sustained
him.
17 He
put on
righteousness as a
breastplate,
and a helmet
of salvation on
his head.
He put on garments
of vengeance for
clothing,
and was clad
with zeal as a
mantle.
18 According
to their deeds,
he will repay
as appropriate:
wrath to his
adversaries,
recompense to his
enemies.
He will repay
the islands their
due.
19 So
they will fear
the LORD’s name
from the west,
and his glory
from the rising
of the sun;
for he will come
as a rushing
stream,
which the LORD’s
breath drives.
20 “A
Redeemer will come
to Zion,
and to those who
turn from disobedience
in Jacob,” says
the LORD.
21 “As
for me, this
is my covenant
with them,” says
the LORD. “My
Spirit who is
on you, and
my words which
I have put
in your mouth
shall not depart
out of your
mouth, nor out
of the mouth
of your offspring,
nor out of
the mouth of
your offspring’s
offspring,” says
the LORD, “from
now on and
forever.”