Isaiah 64

1Oh, that You would tear open the sky and come down. The mountains would shake and flow away before You.

2It would be like fire that burns dry branches. It would be like fire that makes water boil. Then Your enemies would know Your name. The nations would shake in fear before You.

3Once You did mighty and fearful things that we did not expect. You came down, and the mountains shook.

4From the beginning of the world, no one has heard or seen any God besides You. You act for the one who waits for You.

5You meet those who gladly do what is right. You help those who remember Your ways. But You were angry, because we kept on sinning. How can we be saved?

6All of us are like someone who is unclean. All our good deeds are like dirty rags. All of us dry up like a leaf. Our sins carry us away like the wind.

7No one calls on Your name. No one tries to hold on to You. You have hidden Your face from us. You have let our sins destroy us.

8But now, LORD, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are the potter. All of us are the work of Your hand.

9LORD, do not be so very angry. Do not remember our sins forever. Please look at us. We are all Your people.

10Your holy cities have become a desert. Zion is a desert. Jerusalem is empty and destroyed.

11Our holy and beautiful temple has been burned with fire. Our fathers praised You there. All the things we loved are in ruins.

12LORD, will You still hold back after all this? Will You stay silent and punish us so severely?