1 Thirsty deserts will be glad;barren lands will celebrateand blossom with flowers.
2 Deserts will bloom everywhereand sing joyful songs.They will be as majesticas Mount Lebanon,as glorious as Mount Carmelor Sharon Valley.Everyone will seethe wonderful splendorof the Lord our God.*
3 Here is a message for allwho are weak, trembling,and worried:
4 “Cheer up! Don't be afraid.Your God is comingto punish your enemies.God will take revenge on themand rescue you.”
5 The blind will see,and the ears of the deafwill be healed.
6 Those who were lamewill leap around like deer;tongues once silentwill shout for joy.Water will rushthrough the desert.
7 Scorching sandwill turn into a lake,and thirsty groundwill flow with fountains.Grass will grow in deserts,where packs of wild dogsonce made their home.
8 A good road will be there,and it will be named“God's Sacred Highway.”It will be for God's people;no one unfit to worship Godwill walk on that road.And no fools can travelon that highway.
9 No lions or other wild animalswill come near that road;only those the Lord has savedwill travel there.
10 The people the Lord has rescuedwill come back singingas they enter Zion.Happiness will be a crowneveryone will always wear.They will celebrate and shoutbecause all sorrows and worrieswill be gone far away.