Isaiah 52

Awake, Zion

1Awake, awake! Put on your strength, Zion!
Put on your splendid clothes,
Jerusalem, holy city.
The uncircumcised and the unclean
will no longer enter you.

2Shake off the dust; rise and take your seat, Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the bonds around your neck,
captive Daughter Zion.

3For this is what the LORD says:
“You were sold for nothing,
and you will be redeemed without silver.”

4For this is what the Lord GOD says:
“My people first went down to Egypt to live there as foreigners;
then Assyria oppressed them for nothing.

5Now what do I have here?” declares the LORD.
“My people have been taken for nothing;
their rulers howl,” declares the LORD,
“and my name is despised continually, all day long.

6So my people will know my name;
on that day they will know
that I am the one speaking.
Here I am!”

Good News of Deliverance

7How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of the messenger
who announces peace, who brings good news,
who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

8Listen! Your watchmen raise their voices;
together they sing for joy.
With their own eyes they see
the LORD returning to Zion.

9Break into joyful song together,
ruins of Jerusalem!
For the LORD has comforted his people;
he has redeemed Jerusalem.

10The LORD has bared his holy arm
before all the nations.
All the ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God.

Depart, Be Clean

11Leave, leave! Go out from there!
Touch nothing unclean.
Go out from her midst; purify yourselves,
you who carry the LORD’s vessels.

12You will not leave in haste
or go out in flight,
for the LORD goes before you,
and Israel’s God guards your rear.

The Servant Will Be Exalted

13Look, my servant will act wisely;
he will rise, be lifted up, and be very high.

14Just as many were appalled at you—
so disfigured was his appearance beyond that of a man,
his form beyond that of human beings—

15so he will sprinkle many nations.
Kings will shut their mouths because of him,
for they will see what they had not been told
and understand what they had not heard.