Chapter 59
1 Behold , the LORD ’s hand is not shortened , that it can ’t save ; nor his ear dull , that it can ’t hear .
2 But your iniquities have separated you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you , so that he will not hear .
3 For your hands are defiled with blood , and your fingers with iniquity . Your lips have spoken lies . Your tongue mutters wickedness .
4 No one sues in righteousness , and no one pleads in truth. They trust in vanity and speak lies . They conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity .
5 They hatch adders ’ eggs and weave the spider’s web . He who eats of their eggs dies ; and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper .
6 Their webs won’t become garments. They won’t cover themselves with their works . Their works are works of iniquity, and acts of violence are in their hands .
7 Their feet run to evil , and they hurry to shed innocent blood . Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity. Desolation and destruction are in their paths .
8 They don’t know the way of peace ; and there is no justice in their ways . They have made crooked paths for themselves ; whoever goes in them doesn’t know peace .
9 Therefore justice is far from us , and righteousness doesn’t overtake us . We look for light, but see darkness ; for brightness , but we walk in obscurity .
10 We grope for the wall like the blind . Yes, we grope as those who have no eyes . We stumble at noon as if it were twilight . Amongst those who are strong, we are like dead men .
11 We all roar like bears and moan sadly like doves . We look for justice , but there is none , for salvation , but it is far off from us .
12 For our transgressions are multiplied before you , and our sins testify against us ; for our transgressions are with us , and as for our iniquities , we know them :
13 transgressing and denying the LORD , and turning away from following our God , speaking oppression and revolt , conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood .
14 Justice is turned away backward, and righteousness stands far away ; for truth has fallen in the street , and uprightness can ’t enter .
15 Yes , truth is lacking ; and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey . The LORD saw it , and it displeased him that there was no justice .
16 He saw that there was no man , and wondered that there was no intercessor . Therefore his own arm brought salvation to him ; and his righteousness sustained him .
17 He put on righteousness as a breastplate , and a helmet of salvation on his head . He put on garments of vengeance for clothing , and was clad with zeal as a mantle .
18 According to their deeds , he will repay as appropriate: wrath to his adversaries , recompense to his enemies . He will repay the islands their due .
19 So they will fear the LORD ’s name from the west , and his glory from the rising of the sun ; for he will come as a rushing stream , which the LORD ’s breath drives .
20 " A Redeemer will come to Zion , and to those who turn from disobedience in Jacob ," says the LORD .
21 " As for me , this is my covenant with them ," says the LORD . " My Spirit who is on you , and my words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart out of your mouth , nor out of the mouth of your offspring , nor out of the mouth of your offspring ’s offspring ," says the LORD , " from now on and forever ."