Isaiah 40

The Greatness of God

1“1Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.2“2Speak 3kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her 45warfare has ended, That her 67guilt has been removed, That she has received of the Lord’s hand 8Double for all her sins.”

39The voice of one calling out, “10Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make 11straight in the desert a highway for our God.4Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the uneven ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley;512Then the 13glory of the Lord will be revealed, And 14all flesh will see it together; For the 15mouth of the Lord has spoken.”6A voice says, “Call out.” Then 16he answered, “What shall I call out?” 17All flesh is grass, and all its 18loveliness is like the flower of the field.7The 19grass withers, the flower fades, 20When the 21breath of the Lord blows upon it; The people are indeed grass!8The grass withers, the flower fades, But 22the word of our God stands forever.

9Go up on a 23high mountain, Zion, messenger of 24good news, Raise your voice forcefully, Jerusalem, messenger of good news; Raise it up, do not fear. Say to the 25cities of Judah, “26Here is your God!”10Behold, the Lord 27God will come 28with might, With His 29arm ruling for Him. Behold, His 30compensation is with Him, And His reward before Him.11Like a shepherd He will 31tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in the fold of His robe; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

12Who has 32measured the 33waters in the hollow of His hand, And measured the heavens with a 34span, And 35calculated the dust of the earth with a measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales?1336Who has 37directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His 38counselor has informed Him?1439With whom did He consult and who 40gave 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 41nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of 42dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the 43islands like fine dust.16Even Lebanon is not enough to 44burn, Nor its 45animals enough for a burnt offering.1746All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and 47meaningless.

1848To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?19As for the 4950idol, a craftsman casts it, A goldsmith 51plates it with gold, And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.20He who is too impoverished for such an offering Selects a 52tree that does not rot; He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman To 53prepare 54an idol that 55will not totter.

2156Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood 57from the foundations of the earth?22It is He who 58sits above the 5960circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like 61grasshoppers, Who 62stretches out the heavens like a 63curtain And spreads them out like a 64tent to live in.23It is He who reduces 65rulers to nothing, Who 66makes the judges of the earth 67meaningless.2468Scarcely have they been planted, 69Scarcely have they been sown, 70Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, But He merely blows on them, and they wither, And the 71storm carries them away like stubble.25“72To whom then will you compare Me That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.2673Raise your eyes on high And see 74who has created these stars, The 75One who brings out their 76multitude by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the 77greatness of His might and the 78strength of His power, 79Not one of them is missing.

2780Why do you say, Jacob, and you assert, Israel, “My way is 81hidden from the Lord, And the 82justice due me 83escapes the notice of 84my God”?2885Do you not know? Have you not heard? The 86Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is 87unsearchable.29He gives strength to the 88weary, And to the one who lacks might He 89increases power.30Though 90youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous 91young men stumble badly,31Yet those who 92wait for the Lord Will 93gain new strength; They will 9495mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.