1 Lord, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you covered all their sin.
3 You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger.
4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us!
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
but let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him
and make his footsteps a way.
Sure mercies spring from God's covenant love. We are confident in this, as Isaiah writes, that we will see the goodness of God in the land of the living--right here, right now. Thankfully, we don't have to wait an eternity or a lifetime to see the goodness of God.
The temptations are two-fold: to either be so focused on the physical blessings we receive that we forget the Giver, or to doubt that He will ever actually give what is good. There is both a right attitude required in the waiting and in the receiving.
I actually have verse 12 tattooed on my arm. That's how close I hold this chapter to me. Every time I've walked away from God's plans, it's been because I doubted His goodness, and what brings me back each time is His gentle reminder that He is in control, not me, and He has promised to give what is good. This doesn't always equate to what I want, but it is always the best for me.
