2 The desert will sing and shout for joy;it will be as beautiful as the Lebanon Mountainsand as fertile as the fields of Carmel and Sharon.Everyone will see the Lord's splendour,see his greatness and power.
3 Give strength to hands that are tiredand to knees that tremble with weakness.
4 Tell everyone who is discouraged,“Be strong and don't be afraid!God is coming to your rescue,coming to punish your enemies.”
5 The blind will be able to see,and the deaf will hear.
6 The lame will leap and dance,and those who cannot speak will shout for joy.Streams of water will flow through the desert;
7 the burning sand will become a lake,and dry land will be filled with springs.Where jackals used to live,marsh grass and reeds will grow.
8 There will be a highway there,called “The Road of Holiness”.No sinner will ever travel that road;no fools will mislead those who follow it.