Year of the Bible

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Overview of the Book of Isaiah Chapter 62: Names of the new Jerusalem

The new city of Jerusalem is now explicitly named; it is “Zion” (v. 1). It will be praised in this new hymn placed on the prophet’s lips, in which he plays poetically with the names given the city. The depiction of Zion as the spouse of the Lord became popular among prophets from Hosea onwards.

Since the sixth century, Christian tradition has used this poem in the liturgy of Christmas Day. The birth of Jesus has brought about the joyful union of God and mankind in a way that surpasses that described in terms of spousal union. A monk of the Middle Ages makes this beautiful comment: “Like the bridegroom who comes out of his chamber the Lord came down from heaven to dwell on earth and to become one with the Church through his incarnation. The Church was gathered together from among the Gentiles, to whom he gave his dowry and his blessings—his dowry, when God was made man; his blessings, when he was sacrificed for their salvation” (Fausto de Riez, Sermo 5 in Epiphania).

Read: Book of Isaiah Chapter 62: The Vindication and Salvation of Zion

1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her vindication goes forth as brightness,
and her salvation as a burning torch.
2 The nations shall see your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
which the mouth of the LORD will give.
3 You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;
but you shall be called My delight is in her,
and your land Married;
for the LORD delights in you,
and your land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marries a virgin,
so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you.

6 Upon your walls, O Jerusalem,
I have set watchmen;
all the day and all the night
they shall never be silent.
You who put the LORD in remembrance,
take no rest,
7 and give him no rest
until he establishes Jerusalem
and makes it a praise in the earth.
8 The LORD has sworn by his right hand
and by his mighty arm:
“I will not again give your grain
to be food for your enemies,
and foreigners shall not drink your wine
for which you have labored;
9 but those who garner it shall eat it
and praise the LORD,
and those who gather it shall drink it
in the courts of my sanctuary.”

10 Go through, go through the gates,
prepare the way for the people;
build up, build up the highway,
clear it of stones,
lift up an ensign over the peoples.
11 Behold, the LORD has proclaimed
to the end of the earth:
Say to the daughter of Zion,
“Behold, your salvation comes;
behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.”
12 And they shall be called The holy people,
The redeemed of the LORD;
and you shall be called Sought out,
a city not forsaken.

Daily Lectio Divina Question for Today:

Rescuing us from our ancient enslavement, the Lord calls us by a new name and transforms us from enemies into “a crown of beauty” and a “treasured possession.” What reasons for praising God does this passage offer? Lord, I praise You for…

Scripture text courtesy of the Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006). Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this. If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further

Overview commentary above provided by The Navarre Bible; Major Prophets; James Gavigan, Brian McCarthy, and Thomas McGovern, eds. (New York: Four Courts Press; Scepter Publishers, 2005)