Isaiah 9:2-4

New Century Version

² Before those people lived in darkness,
    but now they have seen a great light.
They lived in a dark land,
    but a light has shined on them.
³ God, you have caused the nation to grow
    and made the people happy.
And they have shown their happiness to you,
    like the joy during harvest time,
like the joy of people
    taking what they have won in war.
⁴ Like the time you defeated Midian,
    you have taken away their heavy load
and the heavy pole from their backs
    and the rod the enemy used to punish them.