1158 ISAIAH XXVI-THE SONG OF CONFIDENCE Chapter 26 1 A song inciting to confidence in God, 5 for his judgments, 12 and for his favour to his people. 20 An exhortation to wait on God. N that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. 2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. 3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: 5¶ For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust. 6 The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy. The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just. 8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. 9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD. 11 LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them. 12 LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. 13 O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. 14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. 15 Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth. 16 LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. 17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD. Wisdom Teaches BY H. O. WALKER, THE AMERICAN ARTIST. A MURAL PAINT ING IN THE APPELLATE COURTS BUILDING, NEW YORK. + “Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets."-Prov., 1, 20. 'N CONTRAST to the life of violence, the Book of Proverbs at once holds up the life of peace. It pic I tures Wisdom as a great and glorious teacher, sternly relentless of voice, crying aloud to all men her warning against Folly, "For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them." This mighty guiding spirit, "Wisdom," points the way to earthly prosperity; yet she is not merely a creature of earth, for at the very first mention of her the writer looks beyond earth and sees whence Wisdom is derived. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Then with eager eloquence the beauty of Wisdom is described. "She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. "Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." |