Yet, O LORD is literally “And now LORD.” This phrase marks a new direction in the lament as the people bring their plea for help to a conclusion. It may be rendered “Now, LORD” or “However/Nevertheless, LORD.”

Thou art our Father expresses the close relationship the people feel exists between themselves and God (see the comments on 63.16; see also Hos 11.1).

We are the clay, and thou art our potter: The metaphors of God as the potter and his people as the clay occurred earlier in 29.16 and 45.9 (see the comments there; see also Jer 18.2-6). This imagery also illustrates the close relationship between God and his people. They are his creation. The Hebrew participle for potter is the same verb rendered “formed” in Gen 2.7-8.

We are all the work of thy hand continues the imagery of the previous line. God the potter uses his hands to form his people. This is an anthropomorphic way of speaking about God’s work. Good News Translation says simply “You created us,” and Bible en français courant has “you formed all of us.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples. The second one uses similes instead of metaphors:

• But, LORD, you are our father;
we are clay and you the potter,
we are all made by you.

• Now, O LORD, you are like our Father;
we are like clay, you are like the potter;
all of us have been made by you.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .