Isaiah 44:21-28

The Lord Redeems Israel

21 Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are ¹my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; ²O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.

22 ³I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.

23 ⁴Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it; shout, O ⁵depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, ⁶and will be glorified^[a] in Israel.

24 Thus says the LORD, ⁷your Redeemer, ⁸who formed you from the womb: ⁹"I am the LORD, who made all things, ¹⁰who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,

25 who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, ¹¹who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish,

26 ¹²who confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, 'She shall be inhabited,' ¹³and of the cities of Judah, 'They shall be built, and I will raise up their ruins';

27 ¹⁴who says to the deep, 'Be dry; I will dry up your rivers';

28 who says of ¹⁵Cyrus, 'He is ¹⁶my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose'; saying of Jerusalem, 'She shall be built,' ¹⁷and of the temple, 'Your foundation shall be laid.'"

Isaiah 44:21-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 44

In this chapter the Lord comforts his people with the promise of the effusion of his Spirit, and the blessings of his grace upon them; the consequence of which would be fruitfulness in them, and the conversion of others, who should profess themselves the Lord's people, Isa 44:1-5, he proves his deity in opposition to all false gods from his eternity, omniscience, and foretelling future events, Isa 44:6-8, exposes the stupidity of idol makers and the worshippers of them, Isa 44:9-20, makes gracious promises of the remembrance of his people, the remission of their sins, and their redemption by Christ, Isa 44:21-23, of which redemption from Babylon was a type; and of that assurance is given, from the Lord's creating all things by his power; from his frustrating and infatuating diviners and wise men; from his fulfilling his predictions delivered by his prophets; and from his mentioning by name the instrument of their redemption, Cyrus, Isa 44:24-28, which makes way for a particular prophecy concerning him in the next chapter.

Cross References

• 1. Isaiah 42:19; See Isaiah 42:1
• 2. [Isaiah 49:15]
• 3. Isaiah 43:25
• 4. Isaiah 49:13; [Isaiah 55:12; Psalms 69:34; Jeremiah 51:48]
• 5. Psalms 63:9; [Hosea 2:21, 22]
• 6. Isaiah 49:3; [Isaiah 55:5; Isaiah 60:9]
• 7. See Isaiah 43:14
• 8. See ver. 2
• 9. [Isaiah 42:5]
• 10. Isaiah 42:5; Isaiah 45:12
• 11. [Isaiah 19:3, 14]
• 12. [2 Chronicles 36:22]
• 13. [Jeremiah 32:15, 44]
• 14. Isaiah 11:15; [Isaiah 51:10]
• 15. Isaiah 45:1
• 16. [2 Samuel 5:2; Psalms 78:72]
• 17. Isaiah 45:13; See 2 Chronicles 36:22, 23; Ezra 1:1-3

Footnotes

• [a]. Or will display his beauty