Daily Bread

³ A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
    the way^(G) for the Lord^[a];
make straight^(H) in the desert
    a highway for our God.^[b](I)
4 Every valley shall be raised up,^(J)
    every mountain and hill^(K) made low;
the rough ground shall become level,^(L)
    the rugged places a plain.
⁵ And the glory^(M) of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.^(N)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”^(O)

⁶ A voice says, “Cry out.”
    And I said, “What shall I cry?”

“All people are like grass,^(P)
    and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
⁷ The grass withers^(Q) and the flowers fall,
    because the breath^(R) of the Lord blows^(S) on them.
    Surely the people are grass.
⁸ The grass withers and the flowers^(T) fall,
    but the word^(U) of our God endures^(V) forever.^(W)”

⁹ You who bring good news^(X) to Zion,
    go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,^[c](Y)
    lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
    say to the towns of Judah,
    “Here is your God!”^(Z)
10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes^(AA) with power,^(AB)
    and he rules^(AC) with a mighty arm.^(AD)
See, his reward^(AE) is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.
¹¹ He tends his flock like a shepherd:^(AF)
    He gathers the lambs in his arms^(AG)
and carries them close to his heart;^(AH)
    he gently leads^(AI) those that have young.^(AJ)

¹² Who has measured the waters^(AK) in the hollow of his hand,^(AL)
    or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?^(AM)
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
    or weighed the mountains on the scales
    and the hills in a balance?^(AN)
13 Who can fathom the Spirit^[d](AO) of the Lord,
    or instruct the Lord as his counselor?^(AP)
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
    and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,^(AQ)
    or showed him the path of understanding?^(AR)

¹⁵ Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
    they are regarded as dust on the scales;^(AS)
    he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.^(AT)
16 Lebanon^(AU) is not sufficient for altar fires,
    nor its animals^(AV) enough for burnt offerings.
¹⁷ Before him all the nations^(AW) are as nothing;^(AX)
    they are regarded by him as worthless
    and less than nothing.^(AY)

¹⁸ With whom, then, will you compare God?^(AZ)
    To what image^(BA) will you liken him?
¹⁹ As for an idol,^(BB) a metalworker casts it,
    and a goldsmith^(BC) overlays it with gold^(BD)
    and fashions silver chains for it.
²⁰ A person too poor to present such an offering
    selects wood^(BE) that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
    to set up an idol^(BF) that will not topple.^(BG)

²¹ Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?^(BH)
Has it not been told^(BI) you from the beginning?^(BJ)
    Have you not understood^(BK) since the earth was founded?^(BL)
22 He sits enthroned^(BM) above the circle of the earth,
    and its people are like grasshoppers.^(BN)
He stretches out the heavens^(BO) like a canopy,^(BP)
    and spreads them out like a tent^(BQ) to live in.^(BR)
23 He brings princes^(BS) to naught
    and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.^(BT)
24 No sooner are they planted,
    no sooner are they sown,
    no sooner do they take root^(BU) in the ground,
than he blows^(BV) on them and they wither,^(BW)
    and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.^(BX)

²⁵ “To whom will you compare me?^(BY)
    Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.^(BZ)
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:^(CA)
    Who created^(CB) all these?
He who brings out the starry host^(CC) one by one
    and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,^(CD)
    not one of them is missing.^(CE)

²⁷ Why do you complain, Jacob?
    Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
    my cause is disregarded by my God”?^(CF)
28 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?^(CG)
The Lord is the everlasting^(CH) God,
    the Creator^(CI) of the ends of the earth.^(CJ)
He will not grow tired or weary,^(CK)
    and his understanding no one can fathom.^(CL)
29 He gives strength^(CM) to the weary^(CN)
    and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men^(CO) stumble and fall;^(CP)
31 but those who hope^(CQ) in the Lord
    will renew their strength.^(CR)
They will soar on wings like eagles;^(CS)
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.^(CT)