Comfort for God’s People

40 Comfort, comfortt my people,

says your God.

2 Speak tenderlyu to Jerusalem,

and proclaim to her

that her hard servicev has been completed,w

that her sin has been paid for,x

that she has received from the Lord’s hand

doubley for all her sins.

3 A voice of one calling:

“In the wilderness prepare

the wayz for the Lorda;

make straighta in the desert

a highway for our God.b b

4 Every valley shall be raised up,c

every mountain and hilld made low;

the rough ground shall become level,e

the rugged places a plain.

5 And the gloryf of the Lord will be revealed,

and all people will see it together.g

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”h

6 A voice says, “Cry out.”

And I said, “What shall I cry?”

“All people are like grass,i

and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.

7 The grass withersj and the flowers fall,

because the breathk of the Lord blowsl on them.

Surely the people are grass.

8 The grass withers and the flowersm fall,

but the wordn of our God endureso forever.p”

9 You who bring good newsq to Zion,

go up on a high mountain.

You who bring good news to Jerusalem,c r

lift up your voice with a shout,

lift it up, do not be afraid;

say to the towns of Judah,

“Here is your God!”s

10 See, the Sovereign Lord comest with power,u

and he rulesv with a mighty arm.w

See, his rewardx is with him,

and his recompense accompanies him.

11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:y

He gathers the lambs in his armsz

and carries them close to his heart;a

he gently leadsb those that have young.c