Isaiah 61:8-11

8 1For I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong;[a] 2I will faithfully give them their recompense, 3and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed.
10 4I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, 5for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself 6like a priest with a beautiful headdress, 7and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause 8righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.

Isaiah 61:8-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 61

In this chapter both Christ and the church are introduced speaking, in their turns. It begins with the words of Christ, describing his work and office; his qualifications for it; the several parts and branches of it; and the ends to be answered by it; Isa 61:1-3, the reparation of the church; the feeding it by strangers; its being a holy priesthood; its enjoying the riches of the Gentiles; its having honour and joy, instead of shame and confusion; its prosperity in the work of the Lord, and the continuance of its spiritual offspring among the Gentiles, are prophesied of in Isa 61:4-9, and then the church is represented as rejoicing in the Lord, on account of her being clothed with his righteousness, so ornamental to her, Isa 61:10 and the chapter is concluded with a promise of her righteousness and glory appearing before all the nations of the world; of which the following chapter is an illustrious prophecy, Isa 61:11.

Cross References 8

  • 1. Psalms 11:7; [Isaiah 59:15]
  • 2. Isaiah 40:10; Isaiah 49:4
  • 3. See Isaiah 55:3
  • 4. Habakkuk 3:18
  • 5. [Isaiah 59:17; Zechariah 3:4]
  • 6. ver. 3
  • 7. Isaiah 49:18; Revelation 21:2
  • 8. [Isaiah 60:18; Isaiah 62:7]

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or robbery with a burnt offering
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.