Isaiah 54

The Covenant of Peace

1“Sing, barren woman who has never given birth!
Break into song and shout,
you who have never labored in childbirth!
For the desolate woman has more children
than the married woman,” says the LORD. 2“Enlarge the space for your tent;
let them stretch out your dwelling’s curtains.
Do not hold back!
Lengthen your ropes and strengthen your stakes. 3You will spread out to right and left.
Your offspring will take possession of nations
and settle deserted cities. 4Do not fear: you will not be ashamed.
Do not be humiliated: you will not be disgraced.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and no longer remember the reproach of your widowhood.

5For your Maker is your husband—
the LORD of hosts is his name.
Your Redeemer is Israel’s Holy One;
he is called the God of all the earth. 6For the LORD has called you back
like a wife abandoned and grieved in spirit,
a wife married in youth and then rejected,
says your God. 7“For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great compassion I will gather you. 8In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting faithful love I will have compassion on you,”
says your Redeemer, the LORD.

9“This is like Noah’s waters to me.
As I swore that Noah’s waters
would never again pass over the earth,
so I have sworn not to be angry with you
or rebuke you. 10Mountains may move away
and hills may shake,
but my faithful love will not move away from you,
and my covenant of peace will not shake,”
says the LORD, who has compassion on you. 11“Afflicted one, storm-tossed and uncomforted,
look, I will set your stones in dark mortar
and lay your foundations with sapphires. 12I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates of sparkling stones,
and all your boundary walls of precious stones.

13All your children will be taught by the LORD,
and great will be your children’s peace. 14You will be established in righteousness.
Keep far from oppression, for you need not fear,
and from terror, for it will not come near you. 15If anyone stirs up conflict, it is not from me.
Whoever stirs up conflict with you will fall because of you. 16Look, I myself created the smith
who blows on the charcoal fire
and produces a weapon for its work.
I myself created the destroyer to ruin.

17No weapon formed against you will succeed,
and you will condemn every tongue
that rises against you in judgment.
This is the inheritance of the LORD’s servants;
their vindication comes from me,” declares the LORD.