Isaiah 59

1 Surely [behold, look!] the arm [hand] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] is not [by no means] too short [limited, unable] to save [rescue, deliver], nor His ear [organ of hearing, attention] too dull [heavy, unresponsive] to hear [listen, obey]. word study 2 But your iniquities [moral evil, sin] have built [separated, divided] barriers [a dividing wall] between you and your God [Elohim, the supreme God], and your sins [guilt, punishment for sin] have hidden [concealed, veiled] His face [presence, countenance] from you, so that He does not [will not, refuses to] hear [listen, give attention]. word study 3 For your hands [defiled, stained] are stained with blood [the liquid of life], and your fingers [used for grasping, holding] with iniquity [moral evil, sin]; your lips [edge of the mouth, language] have spoken lies [deception, falsehood], and your tongue [instrument of speech] mutters [whispers, ponders] injustice [unrighteousness, wickedness]. word study 4 No one calls [pleads or cries out] for justice [righteousness, what is right]; no one pleads [sues or contends] his case honestly [in truth, with integrity]. They rely [trust, have confidence] on empty [vain, worthless] pleas [arguments, claims]; they tell [speak, utter] lies [falsehoods, deceptions]; they conceive [plan, devise] mischief [trouble, evil] and give birth [bring forth, produce] to iniquity [wickedness, sin]. word study 5 They hatch the eggs of vipers [poisonous serpents] and weave [to plait or intertwine] a spider’s [insect that weaves a network] web. Whoever eats [to devour or consume] their eggs will die [to perish or come to an end]; crack one open [to break or shatter], and a viper [asp or venomous snake] is hatched [brought forth or born]. word study 6 Their cobwebs [webs of deceit, intricate threads] cannot be made into clothing [garments, coverings], and they cannot cover themselves [hide, conceal] with their works [deeds, actions]. Their deeds [works, labors] are sinful deeds [works of iniquity, evil acts], and acts of violence [cruelty, injustice] are in their hands [palm, grasp]. word study 7 Their feet [swiftly, with haste] run to evil [moral harm, wickedness]; they are swift [quick, hurried] to shed [pour out, spill] innocent [guiltless, blameless] blood. Their thoughts [plans, devices] are sinful [evil, iniquitous] thoughts [plots, intentions]; ruin [desolation, destruction] and destruction [violence, breaking] lie [are present, exist] in their wake [paths, highways]. word study 8 The way [path or journey] of peace [shalom, completeness and wellness] they have not known [understood or experienced], and there is no [absence of] justice [righteous judgment] in their tracks [paths or footsteps]. They have turned them into crooked [twisted or perverse] paths; no one who treads [walks or steps] on them will know [experience or understand] peace [shalom, inner harmony]. word study 9 Therefore [on account of our actions] justice [God’s righteous judgment] is far [removed, distant] from us, and righteousness [moral virtue] does not [never] reach us. We hope [wait patiently] for light [natural and spiritual illumination], but there is [behold] darkness [spiritual and moral gloom]; for brightness [splendor and glory], but we walk [proceed and conduct ourselves] in gloom [a state of darkness and obscurity]. word study 10 Like the blind [without spiritual sight], we feel our way along the wall [as if we had no eyes], groping [feeling with our hands] like those without eyes [lacking spiritual discernment]. We stumble [lose our balance] at midday [in the full light of day] as in the twilight [the time of uncertainty]; among the vigorous [strong and healthy] we are like the dead [spiritually lifeless]. word study 11 We all [completely, every one of us] growl [roar, make a loud noise] like bears [slow-moving, powerful animals] and moan [mourn, lament] like doves [a dove or pigeon]. We hope [wait patiently, look for] for justice [righteous judgment, fairness], but find none [no justice is present], for salvation [deliverance, rescue], but it is far [distant, removed] from us. word study 12 For our transgressions [rebellious acts, sins] are multiplied [increased, grown] before You, and our sins [guilt, punishment for sin] testify [give witness, speak out] against us. Our transgressions [revolts, rebellions] are indeed with [near, alongside] us, and we know [are aware of, understand] our iniquities [moral evil, sin]: word study 13 rebelling [transgressing, turning away] and denying [lying against] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], turning away [removing, retreating] from our God [Elohim, the supreme God], speaking [uttering, communicating] oppression [injury, unjust gain] and revolt [moral or legal offenses], conceiving [becoming pregnant with, thinking about] and uttering [muttering, speaking] lies [deception, falsehood] from the heart [the center of feelings, will, and intellect]. word study 14 So justice [righteous judgment] is turned away [backwards, removed], and righteousness [virtue and morality] stands at a distance [far away, remote]. For truth [faithfulness and stability] has stumbled [fallen, lost balance] in the public square [street, plaza, marketplace], and honesty [uprightness, integrity] cannot enter [come in, be allowed]. word study 15 Truth [faithfulness, stability] is missing [lacking, forgotten], and whoever turns [departs, removes] from evil [bad, moral harm] becomes prey [a spoil, robbed]. The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] looked [saw, provided for] and was displeased [angry, evil in His eyes] that there was no justice [judgment, righteous judgment]. word study 16 He saw [with discerning insight] that there was no man [no intercessor, no one to intervene]; He was amazed [appalled, astonished] that there was no one to intercede [to stand in the gap, to mediate]. So His own arm [the arm as stretched out; strength, might, power] brought salvation [deliverance, rescue], and His own righteousness [uprightness, justice] sustained Him [upheld, supported Him]. word study 17 He put on righteousness [integrity, moral virtue] like a breastplate [lance, armor], and the helmet [head-dress] of salvation [deliverance, victory] on His head; He put on garments [clothing, robes] of vengeance [revenge, punishment] and wrapped Himself in a cloak [robe, mantle] of zeal [jealousy, passionate devotion]. word study 18 So He will repay according [according to their actions, as they deserve] to their deeds [intense]: fury [rage, wrath] to His enemies [adversaries, those who oppose Him], retribution [recompense, punishment] to His foes [those who hate Him], and recompense [reward, payment] to the islands [coastlands, distant lands]. word study 19 So shall they fear [reverently worship, stand in awe of] the name [identity, character, reputation] of the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] where the sun [the celestial body] sets [in the west, towards the evening], and His glory [great honor, splendor, majestic presence] where it rises [in the east, towards the morning]. For He will come [approach, arrive] like a raging [powerful, turbulent] flood [river, overwhelming stream], driven [forced, propelled] by the breath [spirit, wind] of the LORD [Yehovah, the giver of life]. word study 20 “The Redeemer [a saviour, to redeem] will come [approach, draw near] to Zion [the city of God, Jerusalem], to those in Jacob [the descendants of Jacob, Israel] who turn [return, repent] from transgression [iniquity, rebellion], ” declares [says, utters] the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God]. word study 21 “As for Me [the Lord], this is My covenant [promise, agreement] with them,” says the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. “My Spirit [breath of life, divine presence] will not depart [leave, abandon] from you, and My words [message, teachings] that I have put [placed, given] in your mouth will not depart [fade away, disappear] from your mouth or from the mouths of your children [offspring, descendants] and grandchildren [seed’s seed, future generations], from now on [at this time, henceforth] and forevermore [always, eternally],” says the LORD. word study