Dead Idols and the Living God
1 Belbows down, Nebo stoops;
Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle.
Your carriageswereheavily loaded,
# A burden to the wearybeast.
2 They stoop, they bow down together;
They could not deliver the burden,
# But have themselves gone into captivity.
3 “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,
And all the remnant of the house of Israel,
# Who have been upheldbyMefrom birth,
Who have been carried from the womb:
4 Even toyourold age,IamHe,
# Andevento gray hairsI will carryyou!
I have made, and I will bear;
Even I will carry, and will deliveryou.
5 “Towhom will you liken Me, and makeMeequal
And compare Me, that we should be alike?
6 They lavish gold out of the bag,
And weigh silver on the scales;
# They hire agoldsmith, and he makes it a god;
They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
7 They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it
And set it in its place, and it stands;
From its place it shall not move.
# Thoughonecries out to it, yet it cannot answer
Nor save him out of his trouble.
8 “Remember this, and show yourselves men;
# Recall to mind, O you transgressors.
9 Remember the former things of old,
# For IamGod, andthereisno other;
IamGod, andthereisnone like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient timesthingsthat are notyetdone,
# Saying,‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,’
11 Calling a bird of preyfrom the east,
# The manwho executes My counsel, from a far country.
# IndeedI have spokenit;
I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposedit;
I will also do it.
12 “Listen to Me, youstubborn-hearted,
# Whoarefar from righteousness:
13 I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off;
# My salvationshall not linger.
# And I will placesalvation in Zion,
For Israel My glory.