Isaiah
Chapter 60
The Light of the New Jerusalem
Arise, shine, for your light has come. The glory of the Lord rises upon you.
Night still covers the earth and gloomy clouds veil the people, but the Lord now rises and over you, his glory appears.
Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes round about and see: they are all gathered and come to you, your sons from afar, your daughters tenderly carried.
This sight will make your face radiant, your heart throbbing and full; the riches of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you.
A multitude of camels will cover you, caravans from Midian and Ephah. Those from Sheba will come, bringing with them gold and incense, all singing in praise of the Lord.
The flocks of Kedar will be gathered for you, the rams of Nebaioth put at your service: they are acceptable offerings on my altar and will enhance the glory of my house.
Who are these as thick as clouds, flying like doves to their cote?
Ah, they are ships, with those of Tarshish in the front, for the islands now trust in me. They bear your sons from far away bringing their gold and silver with them, for the name of the Lord your God, for the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
Homage of the Peoples
Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will attend to you. For though in anger I have struck you, in love I will have mercy on you.
Your gates will forever be open and never be shut by night or day, that you may receive the wealth of the nations, their kings leading them in procession;
for the nations and kingdoms that refuse to serve you will perish; they will be destroyed.
The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the pine, the fir and the cypress, too, to adorn the place of my Sanctuary, to give glory to the resting place of my feet.
The sons of those who oppressed you will come bending low; all who despised you will fall before your feet. They will call you the City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Though you have been forsaken, hated and avoided, I will make of you an everlasting pride, a joy for all generations.
You will suck the milk of nations and be nursed at royal breasts. You will know that I, the Lord, am your savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
Instead of bronze, I will bring you gold; instead of iron, I will bring silver; instead of wood, bronze; instead of stones and iron. Peace will be overseers, justice your taskmasters.
Violence will no more be heard in your land, nor ruin and destruction within your borders. You will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.
Everlasting Light
No more will the sun give you light by day, nor the moon shine on you by night. For the Lord will be your everlasting light and your God will be your glory.
No more will your sun go down, never will your moon wane. For the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning will come to an end.
Your people will be upright; forever they will possess the land— they the shoot of my planting, the work of my hand— in them I shall be glorified.
The least of them will become a clan, the smallest a mighty nation. I, the Lord, will do this, swiftly, in due time.
Commentaries
The Light of the New Jerusalem.
This light represents God’s blessing and his glory that will dwell in Jerusalem. The children of Zion will return there, and all nations will come to it bringing their riches. This poem is used in the liturgy of the Feast of the Epiphany, where Jesus is referred to as the light of the nations (Lk 2:32).
Homage of the Peoples.
The Lord calls Jerusalem to wake up and rise because his glory is coming to dwell in her. The glory of God, with its beauty and light, will attract all nations. Thus, once Jerusalem and her sanctuary (“my house,” v. 7) are restored, they will become a symbol of hope and peace for all peoples. The phrase “the pride of Lebanon” (13) refers to God’s transforming power at work in Israel and in other nations (cf. Is 29:17; 32:15).
Everlasting Light.
The theme of light appears again, but in an apocalyptic form, as in Revelation 21:23; 22:5, symbolizing how God’s luminous presence or glory replaces the light of the sun and moon. The people’s dream is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham: possession of the land and many descendants (21-22).