And the Ransomed of the Lord Shall Return

In contrast to most of the previous prophetic chapters on judgment, this chapter tells of a time when the wilderness and desert of Zion will blossom again. Through this, people will recognize the glory of God. There will be a great restoration: the blind, deaf, lame and dumb shall be healed.

There is a description of the "Highway to Holiness" a road taken by the redeemed people, those ransomed by the Lord. Nothing will stop them taking this path, the unclean ones will not be able to use it. The redeemed ones will take this highway to Zion with singing, joy and gladness.



Isaiah 35
The Future Glory of Zion

1 The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them,
And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;
2 It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice,
Even with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
The excellence of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
The excellency of our God.
3 Strengthen the weak hands,
And make firm the feeble knees.
4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God;
He will come and save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert.
7 The parched ground shall become a pool,
And the thirsty land springs of water;
In the habitation of jackals, where each lay,
There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
8 A highway shall be there, and a road,
And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean shall not pass over it,
But it shall be for others.
Whoever walks the road, although a fool,
Shall not go astray.
9 No lion shall be there,
Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it;
It shall not be found there.
But the redeemed shall walk there,
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Who Dwells in the LORD; Trust in the LORD

In the first Psalm, David sings about who would be acceptable to the LORD. He gives the answer as: those who are upright and truthful, those who control their tongues and do not plot against their friends, those who fear the LORD, among other things will not be moved.

In the second Psalm, David expresses his knowledge of who he is, in the LORD. He knows that his "goodness is nothing apart from" the LORD. David understands the seriousness of idolatry and would not have it in his kingdom. David knows and is secure of his inheritance from God. David is confident of his position in God and would not be moved by others. These are the sources of David's gladness, joy, hope and pleasure.

Psalm 16

A Michtam of David.

 1 Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
       
 2 O my soul, you have said to the LORD,
         “You are my Lord,
         My goodness is nothing apart from You.”
 3 As for the saints who are on the earth,
         “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”
       
 4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;
         Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
         Nor take up their names on my lips.
       
 5 O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
         You maintain my lot.
 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
         Yes, I have a good inheritance.
       
 7 I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel;
         My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
 8 I have set the LORD always before me;
         Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
       
 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
         My flesh also will rest in hope.
 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
         Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
 11 You will show me the path of life;
         In Your presence is fullness of joy;
         At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.



Psalm 15

A Psalm of David.

 1 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
         Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
       
 2 He who walks uprightly,
         And works righteousness,
         And speaks the truth in his heart;
 3 He who does not backbite with his tongue,
         Nor does evil to his neighbor,
         Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
 4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
         But he honors those who fear the LORD;
         He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
 5 He who does not put out his money at usury,
         Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
       
         He who does these things shall never be moved.