The Future Glory of Zion

54 “Sing, barren woman,u

you who never bore a child;

burst into song, shout for joy,v

you who were never in labor;w

because more are the childrenx of the desolatey woman

than of her who has a husband,z”

says the Lord.

2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,a

stretch your tent curtains wide,

do not hold back;

lengthen your cords,

strengthen your stakes.b

3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;

your descendantsc will dispossess nationsd

and settle in their desolatee cities.

4 “Do not be afraid;f you will not be put to shame.g

Do not fear disgrace;h you will not be humiliated.

You will forget the shame of your youthi

and remember no more the reproachj of your widowhood.k

5 For your Makerl is your husbandm—

the Lord Almighty is his name—

the Holy Onen of Israel is your Redeemer;o

he is called the God of all the earth.p

6 The Lord will call you backq

as if you were a wife desertedr and distressed in spirit—

a wife who married young,s

only to be rejected,” says your God.

7 “For a brief momentt I abandonedu you,

but with deep compassionv I will bring you back.w

8 In a surge of angerx

I hidy my face from you for a moment,

but with everlasting kindnessz

I will have compassiona on you,”

says the Lord your Redeemer.b

9 “To me this is like the days of Noah,

when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.c

So now I have swornd not to be angrye with you,

never to rebukef you again.

10 Though the mountains be shakeng

and the hills be removed,

yet my unfailing loveh for you will not be shakeni

nor my covenantj of peacek be removed,”

says the Lord, who has compassionl on you.