Put On Thy Strength
In the manual: Come, Follow Me lesson 41, “He Hath Borne Our Griefs, and Carried Our Sorrows,” on Gospel Library
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Isaiah calls to Jerusalem like a parent waking a child on a big day. “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments.”
Read Together
In Isaiah 52:2, the Lord tells the captives to shake off the dust, rise up, and loose the bands from their necks. In 1838 Joseph Smith answered questions about these verses, and his answers are in Doctrine and Covenants 113:7–10.
1Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. 2Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. 3For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.
7How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
What It Teaches
Putting on strength, the answer says, means putting on the authority of the priesthood, the power Israel had lost (Doctrine and Covenants 113:8). Loosing the bands means that scattered people return to the Lord (Doctrine and Covenants 113:10). Zion’s strength comes from God, and he gives it back to her.
Verse 3 adds, “Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.” Israel had drifted into captivity and gained nothing for it. Their freedom would come without money too. Peter wrote that we are redeemed with “the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18–19).
In verse 7, a messenger runs over the hills with good news. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings.” Abinadi said these messengers are the prophets and everyone who publishes peace, and above all the Lord himself, the founder of peace (Mosiah 15:13–18).
Talk About It
Isaiah says the feet of messengers with good news are beautiful. Who has brought good news about Jesus Christ to you, and how could you do the same for someone this week?
Take to Church
The Lord tells his people to wake up and put on the strength he gives. He calls the feet of everyone who shares his gospel beautiful.