17. Israel has been saved by the Lord,saved forever!You shall never be put to shame or disgracein any future age.”
18. For thus says the Lord,The creator of the heavens,who is God,The designer and maker of the earthwho established it,Not as an empty waste did he create it,but designing it to be lived in:I am the Lord, and there is no other.
19. I have not spoken in secretfrom some place in the land of darkness,I have not said to the descendants of Jacob,“Look for me in an empty waste.”I, the Lord, promise justice,I declare what is right.
20. Come and assemble, gather together,you fugitives from among the nations!They are without knowledge who bear wooden idolsand pray to gods that cannot save.
21. Come close and declare;let them take counsel together:Who announced this from the beginning,declared it from of old?Was it not I, the Lord,besides whom there is no other God?There is no just and saving God but me.
22. Turn to me and be safe,all you ends of the earth,for I am God; there is no other!
23. By myself I swear,uttering my just decree,a word that will not return:To me every knee shall bend;by me every tongue shall swear,
24. Saying, “Only in the Lordare just deeds and power.Before him in shame shall comeall who vent their anger against him.