The Year of the Lord’s Favor
1 The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom to the captives,
and release to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion,
to give to them a crown of beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning,
the garment of praise for their heavy spirit,
that they may be called trees of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord to glorify him.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins.
They will restore the former desolate places.
They will repair the ruined cities
that have been devastated for many generations.
5 Strangers will stand and feed your flocks.
Foreigners will work your fields and your vineyards.
6 But you will be called the priests of the Lord.
Men will call you the servants of our God.
You will eat the wealth of the nations.
You will boast in their glory.
7 Instead of your shame, you will have double.
Instead of dishonor, they will rejoice in their portion.
Therefore in their land they will possess double.
Everlasting joy will be theirs.
8 For I, the Lord, love justice.
I hate robbery and iniquity.
I will give them their reward in truth,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their offspring will be known among the nations,
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge them,
that they are the offspring which the Lord has blessed.”
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord!
My soul rejoices in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation.
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth produces its bud,
and as the garden causes the things
that are sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.