Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear
But your iniquities have separated you from your God
Your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear
For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt
Your lips have spoken falsely, and your tongue mutters wicked things
No one calls for justice; no one pleads a case with integrity
They rely on empty arguments, they utter lies
They conceive trouble and give birth to evil
Their feet rush into sin
They are swift to shed innocent blood
They pursue evil schemes
Acts of violence mark their ways
The way of peace they do not know
There is no justice in their paths
They have turned them into crooked roads
No one who walks along them will know peace
Justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us
We look for light, but all is darkness
For brightness, but we walk in deep shadows
Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like people without eyes
For our offenses are many in your sight
And our sins testify against us
Our offenses are ever with us
And we acknowledge our iniquities
Rebellion and treachery against the Lord
Turning our backs on our God
Inciting revolt and oppression
Uttering lies our hearts have conceived
So justice is driven back
And righteousness stands at a distance
Truth has stumbled in the streets
Honesty cannot enter
Truth is nowhere to be found
And whoever shuns evil becomes a prey
Their feet rush into sin
They are swift to shed innocent blood
They pursue evil schemes
Acts of violence mark their ways
The way of peace they do not know
There is no justice in their paths
They have turned them into crooked roads
No one who walks along them will know peace
The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice
He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene
So his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him
He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head
He put on the garments of vengeance
And wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak
According to what they have done, so will he repay
Wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes
The Redeemer will come to Zion
To those in Jacob who repent of their sins
Isaiah 59
