Spoken through the Prophets–11a
Isaiah reference / Chapter 40
Format / Japanese renga
[Tenor]
Console my people.
Speak to Jerusalem’s heart
and call out to her.
She’s been treated like a thief,
but her term is now over.
[Bass]
In the wilderness
prepare a way for our God
with the valleys filled.
The crooked will be made straight,
and everyone will see it.
[Alto]
We are all passing
like flowers in the field
on whom the wind blows.
What rescues us is the Word.
Our God’s love is forever.
[Soprano]
On a high mountain
go up and be a herald
with love in your heart.
See – you are coming back home.
Here is your God and savior.
[Chorus]
God comes in power,
but like a gentle shepherd
He cares for his flock.
He will gather all the young;
each one will find their home.
Reflection and Connexion
Many scholars believe that a penultimate version of the Hebrew Bible was assembled during the Babylonian Exile (598-538 BC) though a final version would take a few centuries longer. I imagine what we now recognize as chapters 1-39 of the Book of Isaiah reached something close to their present form during the time of Exile. The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz (the original Isaiah), lived a century before then in Jerusalem and probably died around 700 BC. Some scholars conjecture that a community of Isaiah composed of scholars, poets, and prophets might have begun during the Exile and continued into succeeding centuries writing and editing what we know as Isaiah chapters 40-66. I like to think that what began as a community in exile dedicated to preserving the poetry of Isaiah, son of Amoz, became a community of prophets and poets with a multifaceted vision. A complete book of Isaiah dating to Jesus’ time was found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. It was written mostly in Hebrew but also included Aramaic and Greek.
The Jerusalem Bible breaks Isaiah 40/1-10 into 5 sections. I have tried to keep those same sections though rendering each one in the form of Japanese renga, verses of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables. Renga itself is also a form for different voices. In Handel’s Messiah although he doesn’t use all of verses Isaiah 40/1-10, what he does write from this is in 4 different parts, all in the King James version of English. There are different voices, but they speak to a new beginning. Prophets are not just about the future or some future past. The intention of the Isaiahs in chapters 40-55 was to speak to a people suffering captivity in Babylon, the contemporaries of the poet(s), and they can speak to us now. I like to imagine Jesus reading as well as living the message of the Isaiah community in exile.
I wrote the Cantata for Several Voices for a vesper service at the church I attend. I include below the version of Chapter 40 in Hebrew versets that I had written previous to that. I include here Michaelangelo’s Isaiah from the Sistine Chapel though none of the real Isaiahs were Renaissance Italians.
Beginning of Consolation
Spoken through the Prophets–11b
Isaiah reference / Chapter 40
Format / Hebrew versets
Hear me Jerusalem
Your penalty has been paid
You have served your term
A voice cries in the wilderness
Prepare a way for our God
Valleys will be filled in
and the mountains be made low
so glory will be revealed
The highway will become straight
so the people will see as one
Climb a high mountain
Speak good tidings to Judah
Your God is here now
All flesh is like grass
and all its faith is like the flowers
Grass dries up and the flower fades
but the word stands forever
All you know as being great
is like dust on the scales
the nations like nothing
Who weighs the mountains
brings justice to the coastlands
and kindness to our hearts
Did you measure the waters
and have you gauged the heavens
Who created these wonders
and calls them by their name
This steadfast love endures forever
Yahweh gives strength to the weary
so that they shall seem to fly
Those who wait
those who rely on our God
shall renew their strength
They shall run and not tire
walk and not be weary.
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