Isaiah 52

“Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive…” Naming Jerusalem and Shake keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“For thus saith the LORD , Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“For thus saith the Lord GOD , My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD , that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth…” Naming Thy keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath…” Naming Jerusalem and Break keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:” The line’s distinctive content terms include astonied, form, marred. Its relationship to verses 13 and 15 shows what work it does in this passage.

“So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.