Isaiah 46

Bel bows down, Nebo stoops, their idols are upon beasts and cattle; They must be borne up on shoulders, carried as burdens by the weary.

They stoop and bow down together; unable to save those who bear them, they too go into captivity.

Hear me, O house of Jacob, all who remain of the house of Israel, My burden since your birth, whom I have carried from your infancy.

Even to your old age I am the same, even when your hair is gray I will bear you; It is I who have done this, I who will continue, and I who will carry you to safety.

Whom would you compare me with, as an equal, or match me against, as though we were alike?

There are those who pour out gold from a purse and weigh out silver on the scales; Then they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god before which they fall down in worship.

They lift it to their shoulders to carry; when they set it in place again, it stays, and does not move from the spot. Although they cry out to it, it cannot answer; it delivers no one from distress.


Remember this and be firm, bear it well in mind, you rebels; remember the former things, those long ago:

I am God, there is no other; I am God, there is none like me.

At the beginning I foretell the outcome; in advance, things not yet done. I say that my plan shall stand, I accomplish my every purpose.

I call from the east a bird of prey, from a distant land, one to carry out my plan. Yes, I have spoken, I will accomplish it; I have planned it, and I will do it.

Listen to me, you fainthearted, you who seem far from the victory of justice:

I am bringing on my justice, it is not far off, my salvation shall not tarry; I will put salvation within Zion, and give to Israel my glory.

Be praised

Be praised, my God, by butterfly and dragonfly wings exercising
for their first flight.

Be praised by lightning and thunder causing spring showers.

Be praised by the silent voice of grass growing and trees budding.

Be praised by all the colorful flower trumpets of spring.

Be praised by downy feathers freshly dried on newly hatched
ducklings and chicks.

Be praised by the songs of birds, crickets, and frogs.

Be praised, my God, by all your creation which tells of new life.

Isaiah 64

As when brushwood is set ablaze, or fire makes the water boil! Thus your name would be made known to your enemies and the nations would tremble before you,

While you wrought awesome deeds we could not hope for,

such as they had not heard of from of old. No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for him.

Would that you might meet us doing right, that we were mindful of you in our ways! Behold, you are angry, and we are sinful;

all of us have become like unclean men, all our good deeds are like polluted rags; We have all withered like leaves, and our guilt carries us away like the wind.

There is none who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to cling to you; For you have hidden your face from us and have delivered us up to our guilt.


Yet, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands.

Be not so very angry, LORD, keep not our guilt forever in mind; look upon us, who are all your people.

Your holy cities have become a desert, Zion is a desert, Jerusalem a waste.

Our holy and glorious temple in which our fathers praised you Has been burned with fire; all that was dear to us is laid waste.

Can you hold back, O LORD, after all this? Can you remain silent, and afflict us so severely?