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The Worship God Demands

66Thus says the Lord:
Heaven is my throne
   and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
   and what is my resting-place?
² All these things my hand has made,
   and so all these things are mine, ^*

says the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look,
   to the humble and contrite in spirit,
   who trembles at my word.

³ Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who kills a human being;
   whoever sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever presents a grain-offering, like one who offers swine’s blood;^*
   whoever makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol.
These have chosen their own ways,
   and in their abominations they take delight;
⁴ I also will choose to mock^* them,
   and bring upon them what they fear;
because, when I called, no one answered,
   when I spoke, they did not listen;
but they did what was evil in my sight,
   and chose what did not please me.

The Lord Vindicates Zion

⁵ Hear the word of the Lord,
   you who tremble at his word:
Your own people who hate you
   and reject you for my name’s sake
have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified,
   so that we may see your joy’;
   but it is they who shall be put to shame.

⁶ Listen, an uproar from the city!
   A voice from the temple!
The voice of the Lord,
   dealing retribution to his enemies!

⁷ Before she was in labour
   she gave birth;
before her pain came upon her
   she delivered a son.
⁸ Who has heard of such a thing?
   Who has seen such things?
Shall a land be born in one day?
   Shall a nation be delivered in one moment?
Yet as soon as Zion was in labour
   she delivered her children.
⁹ Shall I open the womb and not deliver?
   says the Lord;
shall I, the one who delivers, shut the womb?
   says your God.

¹⁰ Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,
   all you who love her;
rejoice with her in joy,
   all you who mourn over her—
¹¹ that you may nurse and be satisfied
   from her consoling breast;
that you may drink deeply with delight
   from her glorious bosom.

¹² For thus says the Lord:
I will extend prosperity to her like a river,
   and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream;
and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm,
   and dandled on her knees.
¹³ As a mother comforts her child,
   so I will comfort you;
   you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.