1Listen to me, you who pursue justice,

who seek the Lord;

Look to the rock from which you were hewn,

to the quarry* from which you were taken;a

2Look to Abraham, your father,

and to Sarah, who gave you birth;

Though he was but one when I called him,

I blessed him and made him many.b

3Yes, the Lord shall comfort Zion,

shall comfort all her ruins;

Her wilderness he shall make like Eden,

her wasteland like the garden of the Lord;

Joy and gladness shall be found in her,

thanksgiving and the sound of song.

4Be attentive to me, my people;*

my nation, give ear to me.

For teaching shall go forth from me,

and my judgment, as light to the peoples.c

5I will make my victory come swiftly;

my salvation shall go forth

and my arm shall judge the nations;

In me the coastlands shall hope,

and my arm they shall await.

6Raise your eyes to the heavens,

look at the earth below;

Though the heavens vanish like smoke,

the earth wear out like a garment

and its inhabitants die like flies,

My salvation shall remain forever

and my victory shall always be firm.*

7Hear me, you who know justice,

you people who have my teaching at heart:

Do not fear the reproach of others;

remain firm at their revilings.

8They shall be like a garment eaten by moths,

like wool consumed by grubs;

But my victory shall remain forever,

my salvation, for all generations.d

9Awake, awake, put on strength,

arm of the Lord!

Awake as in the days of old,

in ages long ago!

Was it not you who crushed Rahab,*

you who pierced the dragon?e

10Was it not you who dried up the sea,

the waters of the great deep,*

You who made the depths of the sea into a way

for the redeemed to pass through?

11Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return

and enter Zion singing,

crowned with everlasting joy;

They will meet with joy and gladness,

sorrow and mourning will flee.

12I, it is I who comfort you.

Can you then fear mortals who die,

human beings who are just grass,

13And forget the Lord, your maker,

who stretched out the heavens

and laid the foundations of earth?

All the day you are in constant dread

of the fury of the oppressor

When he prepares himself to destroy;

but where is the oppressor’s fury?

14The captives shall soon be released;

they shall not die and go down into the pit,

nor shall they want for bread.

15For I am the Lord, your God,

who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar;

the Lord of hosts by name.f

16I have put my words into your mouth,

I covered you, shielded by my hand,

Stretching out the heavens,

laying the foundations of the earth,

saying to Zion: You are my people.

17Wake up, wake up!

Arise, Jerusalem,

You who drank at the Lord’s hand

the cup of his wrath;

Who drained to the dregs

the bowl of staggering!g

18She has no one to guide her

of all the children she bore;

She has no one to take her by the hand,

of all the children she reared!—

19Your misfortunes are double;

who is there to grieve with you?

Desolation and destruction, famine and sword!

Who is there to comfort you?

20Your children lie helpless

at every street corner

like antelopes in a net.

They are filled with the wrath of the Lord,

the rebuke of your God.

21But now, hear this, afflicted one,

drunk, but not with wine,h

22Thus says the Lord, your Master,

your God, who defends his people:

See, I am taking from your hand

the cup of staggering;

The bowl of my wrath

you shall no longer drink.

23I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,

those who said to you,

“Bow down, that we may walk over you.”

So you offered your back like the ground,

like the street for them to walk on.