<p class="poetry">To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">he then seeks a skilled craftsmanp> <p class="poetry">to make<n id="2" /> an idol that will not fall over.p>

<p class="poetry">Do you not know?p> <p class="poetry">Have you not heard?p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> is an eternal God,p> <p class="poetry">the creator of the whole earth.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">He does not get tired or weary;p> <p class="poetry">there is no limit to his wisdom.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">You did not buy me aromatic reeds;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">you did not present to me<n id="2" /> the fat of your sacrifices.p> <p class="poetry">Yet you burdened me with your sins;p> <p class="poetry">you made me weary with your evil deeds.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">I have not spoken in secret,p> <p class="poetry">in some hidden place.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I did not tell Jacob&#8217;s descendants,p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;Seek me in vain!&#8217;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I am the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">the one who speaks honestly,p> <p class="poetry">who makes reliable announcements.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Gather together and come!p> <p class="poetry">Approach together, you refugees from the nations!p> <p class="poetry">Those who carry wooden idols know nothing,p> <p class="poetry">those who pray to a god that cannot deliver.p>

<p class="poetry">They put it on their shoulder and carry it;p> <p class="poetry">they put it in its place and it just stands there;p> <p class="poetry">it does not<n id="1" /> move from its place.p> <p class="poetry">Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply;p> <p class="poetry">it does not deliver him from his distress.p>

<p class="poetry">You said,p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;I will rule forever as permanent queen!&#8217;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">You did not think about these things;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">you did not consider how it would turn out.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">But the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> helps me,p> <p class="poetry">so I am not humiliated.p> <p class="poetry">For that reason I am steadfastly resolved;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I know I will not be put to shame.p>

<p class="poetry">Yet do not depart quicklyp> <p class="poetry">or leave in a panic.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> goes before you;p> <p class="poetry">the God of Israel is your rear guard.p>

<p class="poetry">his form was so marred he no longer looked human<n id="1" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">so now<n id="2" /> he will startle<n id="3" /> many nations.p> <p class="poetry">Kings will be shocked by his exaltation,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">for they will witness something unannounced to them,p> <p class="poetry">and they will understand something they had not heard about.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;Shout for joy, O barren one who has not given birth!p> <p class="poetry">Give a joyful shout and cry out, you who have not been in labor!p> <p class="poetry">For the children of the desolate one are more numerousp> <p class="poetry">than the children of the married woman,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="poetry">Even if the mountains are removedp> <p class="poetry">and the hills displaced,p> <p class="poetry">my devotion will not be removed from you,p> <p class="poetry">nor will my covenant of friendship<n id="1" /> be displaced,&#8221;p> <p class="poetry">says the <sc>Lordsc>, the one who has compassion on you.p>

<p class="poetry">Look, you will summon nations<n id="1" /> you did not previously know;p> <p class="poetry">nations<n id="2" /> that did not previously know you will run to you,p> <p class="poetry">because of the <sc>Lordsc> your God,p> <p class="poetry">the Holy One of Israel,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">for he bestows honor on you.p>

<p class="poetry">All their watchmen<n id="1" /> are blind,p> <p class="poetry">they are unaware.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">All of them are like mute dogs,p> <p class="poetry">unable to bark.p> <p class="poetry">They pant,<n id="3" /> lie down,p> <p class="poetry">and love to snooze.p>

<p class="poetry">The dogs have big appetites;p> <p class="poetry">they are never full.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They are shepherds who have no understanding;p> <p class="poetry">they all go their own way,p> <p class="poetry">each one looking for monetary gain.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Because of the long distance you must travel, you get tired,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">but you do not say, &#8216;I give up.&#8217;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">You get renewed energy,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">so you don&#8217;t collapse.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">They are unfamiliar with peace;p> <p class="poetry">their deeds are unjust.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They use deceitful methods,p> <p class="poetry">and whoever deals with them is unfamiliar with peace.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Your sun will no longer set;p> <p class="poetry">your moon will not disappear;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">the <sc>Lordsc> will be your permanent source of light;p> <p class="poetry">your time<n id="2" /> of sorrow will be over.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;For the sake of Zion I will not be silent;p> <p class="poetry">for the sake of Jerusalem<n id="1" /> I will not be quiet,p> <p class="poetry">until her vindication shines brightly<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and her deliverance burns like a torch.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">For you are our father,p> <p class="poetry">though Abraham does not know usp> <p class="poetry">and Israel does not recognize us.p> <p class="poetry">You, <sc>Lordsc>, are our father;p> <p class="poetry">you have been called our protector from ancient times.<n id="1" />p>