The Joy of the Redeemed

1The wilderness and the desert will be delighted,

And the [†]Arabah will rejoice and flourish;

Like the crocus

2It will flourish profusely

And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy.

The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,

The majesty of Carmel and Sharon.

They will see the glory of Yahweh,

The majesty of our God.

3Strengthen limp hands, and give courage to the knees of the stumbling.

4Say to those with an anxious heart,

“Be strong, fear not.

Behold, your God will come with vengeance;

The recompense of God will come,

But He will save you.”

5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,

And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.

6Then 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 [†]Arabah.

7Then the [†]scorched land will become a pool

And the thirsty ground springs of water;

In the haunt of jackals, its resting place,

Grass becomes reeds and rushes.

8And a [†]roadway will be there, a highway,

And it will be called the Highway of Holiness.

The unclean will not pass by on it,

But it will be for him who walks in that way,

And ignorant fools will not wander on it.

9No lion will be there,

Nor will any vicious beast go up on it;

[†]These will not be found there.

But the redeemed will walk there,

10And the ransomed of Yahweh will return

And come with joyful shouting to Zion,

With everlasting gladness upon their heads.

They will [†]attain delight and gladness,

And sorrow and sighing will flee away.