Joy of the Redeemed

35 The desert and the parched land will be glad;the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.Like the crocus,² it will burst into bloom;it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;they will see the glory of the Lord,the splendor of our God.

³ Strengthen the feeble hands,steady the knees that give way;⁴ say to those with fearful hearts,“Be strong, do not fear;your God will come,he will come with vengeance;with divine retributionhe will come to save you.”

⁵ Then will the eyes of the blind be openedand the ears of the deaf unstopped.⁶ Then will the lame leap like a deer,and the mute tongue shout for joy.Water will gush forth in the wildernessand streams in the desert.⁷ The burning sand will become a pool,the thirsty ground bubbling springs.In the haunts where jackals once lay,grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

⁸ And a highway will be there;it will be called the Way of Holiness;it will be for those who walk on that Way.The unclean will not journey on it;wicked fools will not go about on it.⁹ No lion will be there,nor any ravenous beast;they will not be found there.But only the redeemed will walk there,

¹⁰     and those the Lord has rescued will return.They will enter Zion with singing;everlasting joy will crown their heads.Gladness and joy will overtake them,and sorrow and sighing will flee away.