Isaiah

35 The wilderness and the parched land will exult,+

And the desert plain will be joyful and blossom as the saffron.*+

 2 Without fail it will blossom;+

It will rejoice and shout for joy.

The glory of Lebʹa·non will be given to it,+

The splendor of Carʹmel+ and of Sharʹon.+

 3 Strengthen the weak hands,

And make firm the knees that are shaking.+

Look! Your own God will come with vengeance,

God will come with retribution.+

 5 At that time the eyes of the blind will be opened,+

And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.+

 6 At that time the lame will leap like the deer,+

And the tongue of the speechless will shout for joy.+

For waters will burst forth in the wilderness,

And streams in the desert plain.

 7 The heat-parched ground will become a reedy pool,

And the thirsty ground springs of water.+

In the lairs where jackals rested,+

There will be green grass and reeds and papyrus.

 8 And a highway will be there,+

Yes, a way called the Way of Holiness.

It is reserved for the one walking on the way;

No one foolish will stray onto it.

 9 No lion will be there,

And no vicious wild beasts will come on it.

They will not be found there;+

Only the repurchased ones will walk there.+

Exultation and rejoicing will be theirs,

And grief and sighing will flee away.+