Observation: Two things jump out at me about this reading. The first is the acknowledgement in v 13 "Other lords have beside you have ruled over us, but we acknowledge your name alone." The second is the stark reality of our mortality and death in v 14: "The dead do not live; shades do not rise..."

Application: As I read the books of the Bible, and study the history of the people God inspired to write them, a few strange conclusions come to mind. One is that there was a whole lot of evolution in thought as to what happens to you after you die. Much of the Old Testament seems to say what Isaiah says here: nothing. Later books in the Hebrew Bible, and certainly once you reach the New Testament, have more to say on the matter. But one thing that hasn't changed is the guarantee: God is faithful, and worthy of our worship and praise. No matter who claims to be in charge, our faith and hope remain in God. 

I used to be very confident, almost doctrinaire, about exactly what happens after we die, based on the witness of the New Testament. (And by the way, the picture it paints is QUITE different from what most Christians picture, but that's neither here nor there.) I feel I've been humbled over the years. My best answer now is, "I don't know. But God does. And God is trustworthy, and good, and loves us more than we can imagine." I think that's good enough for now. 

Prayer: God, help us to trust in you through this life and beyond. May your kingdom come among us, both in our lives and communities, and, on your timing, in its fullness in this world. In Jesus' name, amen.