Zion’s Joyful Future
1 The wilderness and the dry land will be glad;
The Arabah (desert) will shout in exultation and blossom
Like theautumn crocus.
2 It will blossom abundantly
And rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
The majesty of [Mount] Carmel and [the plain] of Sharon.
They will see the glory of the Lord,
The majestyandsplendor of our God.
3 Encourage the exhausted, and make staggering knees firm.
4 Say to those with an anxiousandpanic-stricken heart,
“Be strong, fear not!
Indeed, your God will come with vengeance [for the ungodly];
The retribution of God will come,
But He will save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened
And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.
6 Then the lame will leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.
For waters will break forth in the wilderness
And streams in the desert.
7 And the burning sand (mirage) will become a pool [of water]
And the thirsty ground springs of water;
In the haunt of jackals,where they lay resting,
Grass becomes reeds andrushes.
8 A highway will be there, and a roadway;
And it will be called the Holy Way.
The unclean will not travel on it,
But it will be for those who walk on the way [the redeemed];
And fools will not wanderon it.
9 No lion will be there,
Nor will any predatory animal come up on it;
They will not be found there.
But the redeemed will walkthere.
10 And the ransomed of the Lordwill return
And come to Zion with shouts of jubilation,
And everlasting joy will be upon their heads;
They will find joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing will flee away.