5. Thus says God יהוה, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it.

6. “I, יהוה, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations;

7.  to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison.

8. “I am יהוה. That is my name. I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to engraved images.

9. Behold, the former things have happened, and I declare new things. I tell you about them before they come up.”

10. Sing to יהוה a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the islands and their inhabitants.

11. Let the wilderness and its cities raise their voices, with the villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing. Let them shout from the top of the mountains!

12. Let them give glory to יהוה, and declare his praise in the islands.

13. יהוה will go out like a mighty man. He will stir up zeal like a man of war. He will raise a war cry. Yes, he will shout aloud. He will triumph over his enemies.

14. “I have been silent a long time. I have been quiet and restrained myself. Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will both gasp and pant.

15. I will destroy mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs. I will make the rivers islands and will dry up the pools.

16. I will bring the blind by a way that they don’t know. I will lead them in paths that they don’t know. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. I will do these things, and I will not forsake them.

17. “Those who trust in engraved images, who tell molten images,‘You are our gods’ will be turned back. They will be utterly disappointed.

18. “Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see.

19. Who is blind, but my servant? Or who is as deaf as my messenger whom I send?Who is as blind as he who is at peace, and as blind as יהוה’s servant?

20. You see many things, but don’t observe. His ears are open, but he doesn’t listen.

21. It pleased יהוה, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.

ETZ CHAIM

It is a tree of life for those who cling to it, and those who uphold it are happy.  Its ways are pleasant, and all of its paths peaceful.

Return us to you, Lord, so that we shall return, renew our days as of old.