Isaiah 26

1. In that day this song shall be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; He sets up salvation as our walls and banks.

2. Open the gates, so that the righteous nation shall enter in, one that is faithfully keeping truth.

3. You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You; because he trusts in You.

4. Trust in the LORD forever; for God the LORD is the everlasting Rock,

5. For He brings down those who dwell on high; He lays low the lofty city; He lays it low, even to the ground; He brings it even to the dust.

6. The foot shall trample it, even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy.”

7. The way of the just is uprightness; O Upright One, You make the path of the righteous level.

8. Yea, in the way of Your judgments, O LORD, we have waited for You; for Your name and for Your remembrance is the desire of our soul.

9. With my soul I desired You in the night; yea, with my spirit within me I will seek You earnestly; for when Your judgments are in the earth, the people of the world will learn righteousness.

10. Though favor is shown to the wicked, he will not learn righteousness; even in the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.

11. LORD, Your hand is lifted up, but they will not see; let them see the zeal you have for your people and be put to shame. Yea, the fire shall devour Your enemies.

12. LORD, You will ordain peace for us; for You also have accomplished all our works in us.

13. O LORD our God, other lords besides You have had the rule over us; but by You only will we make mention of Your name.

14. The dead, they shall not live; the deceased shall not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, and made all memory of them to perish.

15. You have increased the nation, O LORD, You have increased the nation; You are glorified; You have extended all the borders of the land.

16. LORD, in their trouble they have sought You; they poured out a prayer; Your chastening was upon them.

17. As a woman with child draws near to bear, she is in pain and cries out in her pangs; so have we been in Your sight, O LORD.

18. We conceived; we have been in pain, we gave birth to wind. We have not brought about any salvation in the earth; nor have the people of the world come to life.

19. Your dead ones shall live, together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is as the dew of lights, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

20. Come, my people, enter into your rooms and shut your doors around you; hide for a little moment, until the fury has passed by,

21. For behold, the LORD comes out of His place to punish the people of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also shall reveal her blood, and shall no more cover her dead.