Dead Idols and the Living God

1 Belbows down, Nebo stoops;

Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle.

Your carriageswereheavily loaded,

A burden to the wearybeast.

2 They stoop, they bow down together;

They could not deliver the burden,

But have themselves gone into captivity.

3 “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,

And all the remnant of the house of Israel,

Who have been upheldbyMefrom birth,

Who have been carried from the womb:

4 Even toyourold age,IamHe,

Andevento gray hairsI will carryyou!

I have made, and I will bear;

Even I will carry, and will deliveryou.

5 “Towhom will you liken Me, and makeMeequal

And compare Me, that we should be alike?

6 They lavish gold out of the bag,

And weigh silver on the scales;

They hire agoldsmith, and he makes it a god;

They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.

7 They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it

And set it in its place, and it stands;

From its place it shall not move.

Thoughonecries out to it, yet it cannot answer

Nor save him out of his trouble.

8 “Remember this, and show yourselves men;

Recall to mind, O you transgressors.

9 Remember the former things of old,

For IamGod, andthereisno other;

IamGod, andthereisnone like Me,

10 Declaring the end from the beginning,

And from ancient timesthingsthat are notyetdone,

Saying,‘My counsel shall stand,

And I will do all My pleasure,’

11 Calling a bird of preyfrom the east,

The manwho executes My counsel, from a far country.

IndeedI have spokenit;

I will also bring it to pass.

I have purposedit;

I will also do it.

12 “Listen to Me, youstubborn-hearted,

Whoarefar from righteousness:

13 I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off;

My salvationshall not linger.

And I will placesalvation in Zion,

For Israel My glory.