Isaiah 62 - New Catholic Bible (NCB)

Chapter 62

Jerusalem, the Lord’s Spouse

1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines forth like the dawn
and her salvation like a burning torch.
2 The nations will see your vindication
and all the kings your glory.
You will be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will reveal.
3 You will be a glorious crown in the hand of the Lord,
a royal diadem held by your God.
4 No longer will you be called “Forsaken,”
nor will your land be known by the name “Desolate.”
Rather you will be called “My Delight Is in Her,”
and your land will be known as “Married.”
For the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be his spouse.
5 As a young man marries a virgin,
so will your builder marry you,
and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.

Zion Restored and Glorified

6 Upon your walls, O Jerusalem,
I have stationed sentinels.
Neither by day nor by night
will they be silent.
You whose responsibility is to call upon the Lord,
give yourselves no rest,
7 and also give no rest to him
until he restores Jerusalem
and makes her renowned throughout the earth.
8 The Lord has sworn by his right hand
and by his mighty arm:
Never again will I give your grain
to serve as food for your enemies,
nor shall foreigners drink the wine
for which you have toiled.
9 However, those who harvest the grain will eat it
and give praise to the Lord,
while those who gather the grapes will drink the wine
within my sacred courts.
10 Pass through, pass through the gates,
and clear a path for my people.
Build up, build up the highway;
clear it of stones
and lift up a standard over the nations.
11 The Lord has made this proclamation
to the farthest bounds of the earth:
Say to the daughter of Zion,
“See, your Savior comes!
His reward is with him
and his recompense precedes him.”[a]
12 They will be called “The Holy People,”
“The Redeemed of the Lord.”
And you will be called “Sought After,”
“A City No Longer Forsaken.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 62:11 God buys his people and pays the price for it. This is the meaning of the image of “reward.”