Isaiah 64

A Cry for God to Come Down

1 Oh, that You would tear open the heavens and come down. So the mountains would shake at Your presence.

2 Like fire that burns brushwood and makes water boil. Come make Your name known to Your enemies, so nations tremble before You.

3 When You did awesome things we did not expect, you came down and the mountains shook.

4 Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has listened, no eye has seen any God except You. Who acts for those who wait for Him.

Our Sin and God’s Mercy

5 You welcome the one who rejoices in doing right, who remembers You in Your ways. But we sinned, and You were angry. How can we be saved,

6 We are all like something unclean. All our righteous acts are like filthy rags. We all wither like a leaf, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.

7 No one calls on Your name or wakes themselves up to take hold of You. You have hidden Your face from us and let our sins wear us down.

God Is the Potter

8 But now, Lord. You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are the potter. We are all the work of Your hands.

9 Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord. Do not remember our sins forever. Please look. We are all Your people.

The Ruined Cities

10 Your holy cities have become a wasteland. Zion is a desert; jerusalem lies in ruins.

11 Our holy and beautiful temple where our ancestors praised You is burned with fire, and everything we cherished is destroyed.

12 After all this, Lord. Will You hold back, will You stay silent and punish us this severely,