Monday Morning Scripture (Wk9/2022) – Isaiah 52

Cheer for Downtrodden Zion

¹ Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for the uncircumcised and the unclean will no longer come into you.

² Shake yourself from the dust, arise, O captive Jerusalem; rid yourself of the chains around your neck, O captive Daughter of Zion.

³ For the Lord says this, “You were sold for nothing and you will be redeemed, but not with money.”

⁴ For the Lord God says this, “My people went down at the first into Egypt to live there; and [many years later Sennacherib] the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

⁵ But now, what do I have here,” declares the Lord, “seeing that My people have been taken away without reason? Those who rule over them howl [with taunting and mockery of salvation],” declares the Lord, “and My name is continually blasphemed all day long.

⁶ Therefore My people shall know My Name and what it means. Therefore in that day I am the One who is speaking, ‘Here I am.’”

⁷ How beautiful and delightful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace, who brings good news of good [things], who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

⁸ Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, together they shout for joy; for they will see face to face the return of the Lord to Zion.

⁹ Break forth, shout joyfully together, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.

¹⁰ The Lord has bared His holy arm (His infinite power) before the eyes of all the nations [revealing Himself as the One by Whom Israel is redeemed from captivity], that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God.

¹¹ Depart, depart, go out from there (the lands of exile), touch no unclean thing; go out of the midst of her (Babylon), purify yourselves, you who carry the articles of the Lord [on your journey from there].

¹² For you will not go out in a hurry [as when you left Egypt], nor will you go in flight [fleeing, as you did from the Egyptians]; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

Isaiah 52:1-12 (AMP)