Isaiah Chapter 26 - The Song of Perfect Peace
A song of quiet trust that turns into a promise of resurrection.
This chapter records a song sung in the land of Judah about a strong city whose walls are salvation itself, opening with the well-known line, Isaiah 26:3, that God keeps in perfect peace the mind stayed on Him.
In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iudah, We haue a strong citie: saluation shall God set for walles and bulwarkes.
Open ye the gates that the righteous nation, which keepeth the trueth, may enter in.
By an assured purpose wilt thou preserue perfite peace, because they trusted in thee.
Trust in the Lord for euer: for in the Lord God is strength for euermore.
For hee will bring downe them that dwell on hie: the hie citie he will abase: euen vnto the ground wil he cast it downe, and bring it vnto dust.
The foote shall treade it downe, euen the feete of the poore, and the steppes of the needie.
The way of the iust is righteousnesse: thou wilt make equall the righteous path of the iust.
Also we, O Lord, haue waited for thee in the way of thy iudgemets: the desire of our soule is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee.
With my soule haue I desired thee in the night, and with my spirit within mee will I seeke thee in the morning: for seeing thy iudgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world shall learne righteousnesse.
Let mercie bee shewed to the wicked, yet hee will not learne righteousnesse: in the land of vprightnesse will he do wickedly, and will not beholde the maiestie of the Lord.
O Lord, they will not beholde thine hie hande: but they shall see it, and bee confounded with the zeale of the people, and the fire of thine enemies shall deuoure them.
Lord, vnto vs thou wilt ordeine peace: for thou also hast wrought all our workes for vs.
O Lord our God, other lords beside thee, haue ruled vs, but we will remember thee onely, and thy Name.
The dead shall not liue, neither shall the dead arise, because thou hast visited and scattered them, and destroyed all their memorie.
Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord: thou hast increased the nation: thou art made glorious: thou hast enlarged all the coastes of the earth.
Lord, in trouble haue they visited thee: they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them.
Like as a woman with childe, that draweth neere to the trauaile, is in sorow, and cryeth in her paines, so haue we bene in thy sight, O Lord.
We haue coceiued, we haue borne in paine, as though we should haue brought forth winde: there was no helpe in the earth, neither did the inhabitants of the world fall.
Thy dead men shall liue: euen with my body shall they rise. Awake, and sing, ye that dwel in dust: for thy dewe is as the dew of herbes, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Come, my people: enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doores after thee: hide thy selfe for a very litle while, vntill the indignation passe ouer.
For lo, the Lord commeth out of his place, to visite the iniquitie of the inhabitants of the earth vpon them: and the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more hide her slaine.