Isaiah 44

“But now listen, Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen. This is what the LORD says, who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: Do not fear, Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground.
I will pour my Spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up among the grass, like willows beside flowing streams. One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’ and another will call himself by the name of Jacob.
Another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and take the name of Israel.” This is what the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts, says: “I am the first and I am the last;
apart from me there is no God. Who is like me?
Let him proclaim it, declare it, and set it in order before me, since I established the ancient people.
Let them declare to them the things to come and what will happen. Do not tremble or be afraid.
Have I not told you and declared it long ago?
You are my witnesses.
Is there any God apart from me?
There is no other Rock;
I know of none.” All who fashion idols are emptiness, and their treasured objects bring no profit.
Their own witnesses neither see nor know, so that they will be ashamed. Who fashions a god or casts an idol that brings no profit? Look, all his companions will be ashamed, and the craftsmen are only human.
Let them all gather and stand forth;
they will tremble and be ashamed together. The blacksmith works with a cutting tool over the coals.
He shapes it with hammers and works it with his strong arm.
He grows hungry and has no strength;
he drinks no water and grows faint. The woodworker stretches out a measuring line and marks it with a stylus.
He shapes it with scraping tools and outlines it with a compass.
He makes it in the form of a man, with human beauty, to dwell in a house. He cuts down cedars for himself, takes a cypress and an oak, and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest.
He plants a fir, and the rain makes it grow. It serves a man for fuel.
He takes some of it and warms himself;
he also kindles a fire and bakes bread.
He also makes a god and worships it;
he makes it a carved image and bows down to it. Half of it he burns in the fire;
over that half he eats meat, roasting a roast and satisfying himself.
He also warms himself and says, “Ah, I am warm;
I have seen the fire!” With the rest he makes a god, his carved image.
He bows down to it, worships it, and prays to it, saying, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” They neither know nor understand, for he has smeared their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot understand. No one takes it to heart or has knowledge or understanding to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire;
I also baked bread on its coals, roasted meat, and ate it.
Shall I make the rest into an abomination?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?” He feeds on ashes;
a deceived heart has led him astray.
He cannot deliver his life or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” “Remember these things, Jacob and Israel, for you are my servant.
I formed you;
you are my servant.
Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out your transgressions like a thick cloud and your sins like a cloud.
Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” Sing for joy, heavens, for the LORD has done it!
Shout, depths of the earth!
Break into singing, mountains, forest, and every tree in it!
For the LORD has redeemed Jacob and will glorify himself in Israel. This is what the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb, says: “I am the LORD, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens alone, who spreads out the earth by myself, who frustrates the signs of impostors and makes fools of diviners, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish, who confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I will raise up her ruins,’ who says to the deep, ‘Be dry;
I will dry up your rivers,’ who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he will fulfill all my purpose,’ saying of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’”

Rights and attribution