Isaiah 59:8

8 They do not know [the] way of peace, and there is no justice in their firm paths. They have made their paths crooked for themselves; everyone {who walks} in it knows no peace.

Isaiah 59:8 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 59:8

The way of peace they know not
Neither the way of peace with God, supposing it is to be made by man, and not by Christ; and are ignorant of the steps and methods taken to procure it; nor do they know the way of peace of conscience, or how to attain to that which is true and solid; nor the way to eternal peace and happiness, which is alone by Christ, and the Gospel of peace reveals, to which they are strangers; nor the way of peace among men, which they are unconcerned about, and do not seek after, make use of no methods to promote, secure, and establish it; but all the reverse: and there is no judgment in their goings;
no justice in their actions, in their dealings with men; no judgment in their religious duties, which are done without any regard to the divine rule, or without being able to give a reason for them; they have no judgment in matters of doctrine or worship; they have no discerning of true and false doctrines, and between that which is spiritual and superstitious in worship; they have no knowledge of the word of God, which should be their guide both in faith and practice; but this they do not attend unto: they have made them crooked paths:
they have devised paths and modes of worship of their own, in which they walk, and which they observe, that are not according to the rule of the word; but deviate from it; and so may be said to be crooked, as not agreeable to that: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace;
the way of peace with God, as before; or he shall not have any experience of true, solid, and substantial peace in his own conscience now, and shall not attain to eternal peace hereafter.

Isaiah 59:8 In-Context

6 Their webs cannot become clothing, and they cannot cover themselves with their works. Their works [are] works of iniquity, and deeds of violence [are] in their hands.
7 Their feet run to evil, and they hasten to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts [are] thoughts of iniquity; devastation and destruction [are] in their highways.
8 They do not know [the] way of peace, and there is no justice in their firm paths. They have made their paths crooked for themselves; everyone {who walks} in it knows no peace.
9 Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We wait for light, but look! [there is] darkness; for brightness, [but] we walk in darkness.
10 We grope like the blind [along] a wall, and we grope {as without} eyes. We stumble at noon as [in] the twilight; among the strong [we are] like the dead.

Footnotes 1

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.