A Prayer for Our Communities

Because I love Zion, I will not keep still.

Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent.

I will not stop praying for her

Until her righteousness shines like the dawn,

And her salvation blazes like a burning torch.

The nations will see your righteousness.

World leaders will be blinded by your glory.

And you will be given a new name by the Lord's own mouth.

The Lord will hold you in his hand for all to see-

a splended crown in the hand of God.

Never again will you be called "The Forsaken City" or

"The Desolate Land."

Your new name will be "The City of God's Delight" and

"The Bride of God," for the Lord delights in you

And will claim you as his bride.

Your children will commit themselves to you, O Jerusalem.

Just as a young man commits himself to his bride.

Then God will rejoice over you

As a bridegroom rejoiced over his bride.

O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls;

They will pray day and night, continually.

Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord.

Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work,

until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.

The Lord has sworn to Jerusalem by his own strength;

"I will never again hand you over to your enemies.

Never again will foreign warriors come 

And take away your grain and new wine.

You raised the grain, and you will eat it,

Praising the Lord.

With the courtyards of the Temple,

You yourselves will drink the wine you have pressed."

Go out through the gates!

Prepare the highway for my people to return!

Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders;

raise a flag for all the nations to see.

The Lord has sent this message to every land:

"Tell the people of Israel,

'Look, your Savior is coming.

See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.'"

They will be called "The Holy People" and

"The People Redeemed by the Lord."

And Jerusalem will be known as "The Desirable Place" and 

"The City No Longer Forsaken."

Isaiah 62