Isaiah 40:6-31

6A voice says, “Call out.” Then 1he answered, “What shall I call out?” 2All flesh is grass, and all its 3loveliness is like the flower of the field.7The 4grass withers, the flower fades, 5When the 6breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.8The grass withers, the flower fades, But 7the word of our God stands forever.

9Get yourself up on a 8high mountain, O Zion, bearer of 9good news, Lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; Lift it up, do not fear. Say to the 10cities of Judah, “11Here is your God!”10Behold, the Lord 12God will come 13with might, With His 14arm ruling for Him. Behold, His 15reward is with Him And His recompense before Him.11Like a shepherd He will 16tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

12Who has 17measured the 18waters in the hollow of His hand, And marked off the heavens by the 19span, And 20calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales?1321Who has 22directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His 23counselor has informed Him?1424With whom did He consult and who 25gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge And informed Him of the way of understanding?15Behold, the 26nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of 27dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the 28islands like fine dust.16Even Lebanon is not enough to burn, Nor its 29beasts enough for a burnt offering.1730All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and 31meaningless.

1832To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?19As for the 3334idol, a craftsman casts it, A goldsmith 35plates it with gold, And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.20He who is too impoverished for such an offering Selects a 36tree that does not rot; He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman To 37prepare 38an idol that 39will not totter.

2140Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood 41from the foundations of the earth?22It is He who 42sits above the 4344circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like 45grasshoppers, Who 46stretches out the heavens like a 47curtain And spreads them out like a 48tent to dwell in.23He it is who reduces 49rulers to nothing, Who 50makes the judges of the earth 51meaningless.2452Scarcely have they been planted, 53Scarcely have they been sown, 54Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, But He merely blows on them, and they wither, And the 55storm carries them away like stubble.25“56To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.2657Lift up your eyes on high And see 58who has created these stars, The 59One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the 60greatness of His might and the 61strength of His power, 62Not one of them is missing.

2763Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, “My way is 64hidden from the Lord, And the 65justice due me 66escapes the notice of 67my God”?2868Do you not know? Have you not heard? The 69Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is 70inscrutable.29He gives strength to the 71weary, And to him who lacks might He 72increases power.30Though 73youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous 74young men stumble badly,31Yet those who 75wait for the Lord Will 76gain new strength; They will 7778mount up with 79wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.