Saturday, August 15, 2009

Peace Be Upon Israel


“Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”

Isaiah 9:7

Bring Your peace, Lord,
Your perfect peace, Almighty God.
Bring Your peace to the nation that cries out for You.
Their enemies are on every side;
they lie in wait at the gate of Your Holy City.
They come to tear down and destroy what Your hand has made; to devour the children of Your covenant.

All day long, Your people look to other ways;
the peace they long for they cannot find
among the schemes and devices of man.
What is built by their hands is torn down in a moment;
their plans are thwarted by the hatred in their enemy’s hearts who covet the land You gave Abraham, and to his seed forevermore.
But You, Oh God, are mighty and Your arm is strong.

The sword that You wield is honed with Your Truth;
You will cut down the wicked and reap what is Yours.
Like a man who reaps and gathers the sheaves of his labor, You will gather Your children and carry them to safety.
In Your arms, You will bear them;
by Your strength, You will protect them.

Who will be able to say on the day You have ordained,
“Where is your God to protect you now?
We have come to take what is ours. He cannot save you.”?
Their hearts will melt like wax; their strength shall fail them when they see You whom they have forsaken.
With the breath of Your mouth and the power of Your Word, You will lay waste those who lie in wait outside the city gate, and they shall be no more.

Rejoice, Oh Israel! Make your hearts glad!
For your God remembers you and the promise He has made.
The Holy One of Israel has gone before you;
by His hand He has defeated the enemy that surrounds you.
He has come to reclaim His throne, His rightful inheritance
in the city of Jerusalem where His sacrifice was made,
and to establish His reign upon the earth.

Peace be upon you, Oh Israel; peace forevermore.
Worship and praise the God of salvation;
bring gifts and bow down before His royal throne.
Give thanks to your God who has delivered you
from the hands of your enemy, for His sake and glory,
for Jehovah will reign forever.

By His hand, peace will be over all the earth, both now and forevermore.

Amen.



Copyright 2006 Karen L. Brahs