Isaiah 59:9

Injustice obscures vision

9 Because of all this, justice is far from us, and righteousness beyond our reach. We expect light, and there is darkness; we await a gleam of light, but walk about in gloom.

Isaiah 59:9 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 59:9

Therefore is judgment far from us
These are the words of the few godly persons in those times, taking notice of prevailing sins, confessing and lamenting them, and observing that these were the source of their calamities under which they groaned; "therefore", because of the above mentioned sins, and in just retaliation, no justice or judgment being among men; therefore, in great righteousness "judgment is far from us"; or God does not appear to right our wrongs, and avenge us of our enemies, but suffers them to afflict and distress us: neither doth justice overtake us;
the righteousness of God inflicting vengeance on our enemies, and saving and protecting us; this does not come up with us, nor do we enjoy the benefit of it, but walk on without it unprotected, and exposed to the insults of men: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in
darkness;
or "for brightnesses" ^F25; for much clear light; but we walk in mists
^F26; in thick fogs, and have scarce any light at all. The meaning is, they waited for deliverance and salvation; but instead of that had the darkness of affliction and distress; or they were expecting latter day light and glory, the clear and bright shining of Gospel truths; but, instead of that, were surrounded with the darkness of ignorance and infidelity, superstition and will worship, and walked in the mists and fogs of error and heresy of all sorts: this seems to respect the same time as in ( Zechariah 14:6 Zechariah 14:7 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (twhgnl) "in splendores", Pagninus, Montanus; "magnum splendorem", Vitringa.
F26 (twlpab) "in ealiginibus", Montanus, Cocceius; "in summa caligine", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "in densa caligine", Vitringa.

Isaiah 59:9 In-Context

7 Their feet run to evil; they rush to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of malice; desolation and destruction litter their highways.

8 They don't know the way of peace; there's no justice in their paths. They make their roads crooked; no one who walks in them knows peace.

9 Because of all this, justice is far from us, and righteousness beyond our reach. We expect light, and there is darkness; we await a gleam of light, but walk about in gloom.

10 We grope along the wall like the blind; like those without eyes we grope. We stumble at noonday as if it were twilight, and among the strong as if we were dying.

11 All of us growl like bears, and like doves we moan. We expect justice, but there is none; we await salvation, but it is far from us.