April 21, 2011 (Isaiah 23-27)

In the midst of despair and destruction for the enemies of God, there is joy and praise. I continually need to remind myself to praise.

^24:14 But all who are left shout and sing for joy.
      Those in the west praise the Lord’s majesty.
 ¹⁵ In eastern lands, give glory to the Lord.
      In the lands beyond the sea, praise the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
 ¹⁶ We hear songs of praise from the ends of the earth,
      songs that give glory to the Righteous One!


^25:4 But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord,
      a tower of refuge to the needy in distress.
   You are a refuge from the storm
      and a shelter from the heat.


^25:9 In that day the people will proclaim,
   “This is our God!
      We trusted in him, and he saved us!
   This is the Lord, in whom we trusted.
      Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!”


^26:3 You will keep in perfect peace
      all who trust in you,
      all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
 ⁴ Trust in the Lord always,
      for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.


¹² Lord, you will grant us peace;
      all we have accomplished is really from you.
 ¹³ O Lord our God, others have ruled us,
      but you alone are the one we worship.


¹⁹ But those who die in the Lord will live;
      their bodies will rise again!
   Those who sleep in the earth
      will rise up and sing for joy!
   For your life-giving light will fall like dew
      on your people in the place of the dead!

And in this section, as God talks of His people as a vineyard, I am encouraged. I'm thankful that God tends to us every day.

^27:2 “In that day,
      sing about the fruitful vineyard.
 ³ I, the Lord, will watch over it,
      watering it carefully.
   Day and night I will watch so no one can harm it.