Isaiah 64

1 If only You would rend [tear open, break apart] the heavens and come down [from Your presence, in all Your power], so that mountains [hills, high places] would quake [tremble, melt away] at Your presence [face, before You], word study 2 as fire [burning intensely, kindling] kindles the brushwood [dry sticks, inflammable material] and causes the water [liquid, flowing] to boil [to be in a state of turmoil], to make [declare, reveal] Your name [character, reputation] known [recognized, acknowledged] to Your enemies [adversaries, those opposed to You], so that the nations [Gentile peoples, non-Jewish countries] will tremble [shake, quake] at Your presence [face, manifest being]! word study 3 When You did awesome [terrible, fearful] works that we did not [never] expect, You came down, and the mountains [hills, rugged terrain] trembled [quaked, flowed down] at Your presence [before You, in Your sight]. word study 4 From ancient times [since the beginning of the world] no one has heard, no ear has perceived [nor paid attention to], no eye has seen any God [except you, beside thee] besides You, who acts on behalf of [works for, helps] those who wait for [place their confidence in, trust in] Him. word study 5 You welcome [meet with, draw near to] those who gladly [with joy, rejoicing] do right [what is just, righteous], who remember [keep in mind, recall] Your ways [paths, teachings]. Surely [indeed, truly] You were angry [wroth, displeased], for we sinned [committed iniquity, did evil]. How can we be saved [rescued, delivered] if we remain [continue, stay] in our sins [iniquities, transgressions]? word study 6 Each of us has become like something [morally] unclean, and all our righteous acts [good deeds, attempts at justice] are like filthy [polluted] rags; we all wither [fade away, lose strength] like a leaf, and our iniquities [sins, moral evil] carry us away like the wind [sweeping us off course, beyond control]. word study 7 No one calls on Your name [invokes Your character] or strives [exerts themselves, makes an effort] to take hold of You [grasp, lay claim to]. For You have hidden [concealed, veiled] Your face [presence, countenance] from us and delivered [given over, surrendered] us into the hand [power, control] of our iniquity [sin, wickedness, lawlessness]. word study 8 But now, O LORD [Yehovah, our covenant God], You are our Father [our Creator and loving Parent]; we are the clay [soft and pliable material], and You are the potter [the One who shapes and molds us]; we are all [every single one of us] the work [creation, handiwork] of Your hand [Your power and guidance]. word study 9 Do not be angry [very sore, extremely displeased], O LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], beyond measure [without limit]; do not remember [keep in mind, hold against us] our iniquity [sins, rebellious acts] forever [for all eternity]. Oh, look upon us [see our condition, have compassion on us], we pray [beseech, earnestly ask]; we are all [every one of us] Your people [belonging to you, your nation]! word study 10 Your holy [set-apart, sacred] cities have become a wilderness [desert, barren land]. Zion has become a wasteland [desolate, uninhabited place] and Jerusalem a desolation [place of destruction, ruin]. word study 11 Our holy [sanctuary, set apart] and beautiful [glorious, lovely] temple [House of our Sanctuarie], where our fathers [ancestors, forefathers] praised [worshiped, gave thanks to] You, has been burned [laid waste, destroyed] with fire [flames, conflagration], and all that was dear [pleasant, desirable] to us lies [has been turned] in ruins [waste, desolation]. word study 12 After all this, O LORD [Yehovah], will You restrain [hold back, refrain] Yourself? Will You keep silent [hold Your peace, remain quiet] and afflict [punish, distress] us beyond measure [very sorely, severely]? word study