Isaiah 26:1–9

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city;

God makes salvation

its walls and ramparts.

Open the gates

that the righteous nation may enter,

the nation that keeps faith.

You will keep in perfect peace

those whose minds are steadfast,

because they trust in you.

Trust in the Lord forever,

for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.

He humbles those who dwell on high,

he lays the lofty city low;

he levels it to the ground

and casts it down to the dust.

Feet trample it down—

the feet of the oppressed,

the footsteps of the poor.

The path of the righteous is level;

you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth.

Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws,

we wait for you;

your name and renown

are the desire of our hearts.

My soul yearns for you in the night;

in the morning my spirit longs for you.

When your judgments come upon the earth,

the people of the world learn righteousness.

On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city.

Salvation is established as walls and ramparts.

Open the gates

so a righteous nation can come in—

one that remains faithful.

You will keep the mind that is dependent on you

in perfect peace,

for it is trusting in you.

Trust in the Lord forever,

because in the Lord, the Lord himself, is an everlasting rock!

For he has humbled those who live in lofty places—

an inaccessible city.

He brings it down; he brings it down to the ground;

he throws it to the dust.

Feet trample it,

the feet of the humble,

the steps of the poor.

The path of the righteous is level;

you clear a straight path for the righteous.

Yes, Lord, we wait for you

in the path of your judgments.

Our desire is for your name and renown.

I long for you in the night;

yes, my spirit within me diligently seeks you,

for when your judgments are in the land,

the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

In that day, everyone in the land of Judah will sing this song:

Our city is strong!

We are surrounded by the walls of God’s salvation.

Open the gates to all who are righteous;

allow the faithful to enter.

You will keep in perfect peace

all who trust in you,

all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Trust in the Lord always,

for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

He humbles the proud

and brings down the arrogant city.

He brings it down to the dust.

The poor and oppressed trample it underfoot,

and the needy walk all over it.

But for those who are righteous,

the way is not steep and rough.

You are a God who does what is right,

and you smooth out the path ahead of them.

Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws;

our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.

In the night I search for you;

in the morning I earnestly seek you.

For only when you come to judge the earth

will people learn what is right.

On that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

“We have a strong city;

he sets up victory like walls and ramparts!

Open the gates so that the righteous nation who keeps faithfulness may enter!

You will protect a firm inclination in peace,

in peace because he trusts in you.

Trust in Yahweh forever,

for in Yah, Yahweh you have an everlasting rock.

For he has thrown down the inhabitants of the height,

he lays low the lofty city.

He lays it low to the ground;

he throws her to the dust.

The foot tramples it,

the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy.”

The way of the righteous is a straight path;

you clear the level path of the righteous.

Surely we wait for you in the path of your judgments, Yahweh,

for your name and renown are the desire of the soul.

I desire you with all my soul in the night;

also I seek you with my spirit within me,

for when your judgments are upon the earth,

the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah;

We have a strong city;

Salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

Open ye the gates,

That the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on thee:

Because he trusteth in thee.

Trust ye in the Lord for ever:

For in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

For he bringeth down them that dwell on high;

The lofty city, he layeth it low;

He layeth it low, even to the ground;

He bringeth it even to the dust.

The foot shall tread it down,

Even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

The way of the just is uprightness:

Thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.

Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee;

The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

With my soul have I desired thee in the night;

Yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early:

For when thy judgments are in the earth,

The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.