Isaiah 57:12-21

12 "I will 1declare your righteousness and your 2deeds, But they will not profit you.
13 "When you cry out, 3let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry all of them up, And a breath will take them away. But he who 4takes refuge in Me will 5inherit the land And will 6possess My holy mountain."
14 And it will be said, "7Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people."
15 For thus says the 8high and exalted One Who 9lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I 10dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the 11contrite and lowly of spirit In order to 12revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 "For I will 13not contend forever, 14Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would grow faint before * Me, And the 15breath of those whom I have made.
17 "Because of the iniquity of his 16unjust gain I was angry and struck him; I hid My face and was angry, And he went on 17turning away, in the way of his heart.
18 "I have seen his ways, but I will 18heal him; I will 19lead him and 20restore comfort to him and to his mourners,
19 Creating the 21praise of the lips. 22Peace, peace to him who is 23far and to him who is near," Says the LORD, "and I will heal him."
20 But the 24wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot * be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud.
21 "25There is no peace," says 26my God, "for the wicked."

Isaiah 57:12-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 57

This chapter contains complaints of the stupidity and idolatry of the people, described in the latter part of the preceding chapter; and some promises of grace to the people of God. The stupidity of the former is observed, Isa 57:1 they not taking notice of the death of good men, nor of impending calamities they were taken from, whose happiness is described, Isa 57:2, then these idolatrous people are summoned before the Lord, Isa 57:3 and are charged with deriding the saints with idolatry and murder, Isa 57:4-6 and their idolatry is represented under the notion of adultery, attended with very aggravating circumstances, Isa 57:7-9 and yet these people still entertained presumptuous hopes of happiness, and boasted of, and trusted in, their righteousness and good works, which would be exposed, and be of no advantage to them, Isa 57:10-12, next follow promises of grace to the saints, that such that trusted in Christ should inherit the holy mountain, Isa 57:13 that the stumblingblock of his people should be removed, Isa 57:14, that he should dwell with the humble and contrite, Isa 57:15, and not be always wroth and contend with them, for a reason given, Isa 57:16 and that though he had smote them, and hid his face from them because of their sins, yet would heal them, lead them, and comfort them, and speak peace unto them, Isa 57:17-19 and the chapter is concluded with the character of the wicked, and an assurance that there is no peace for them, Isa 57:20,21.

Cross References 26

  • 1. Isaiah 58:1, 2
  • 2. Isaiah 29:15; Isaiah 59:6; Isaiah 65:7; Isaiah 66:18; Micah 3:2-4
  • 3. Jeremiah 22:20; Jeremiah 30:14
  • 4. Psalms 37:3, 9; Isaiah 25:4
  • 5. Isaiah 49:8; Isaiah 60:21
  • 6. Isaiah 65:9
  • 7. Isaiah 62:10; Jeremiah 18:15
  • 8. Isaiah 52:13
  • 9. Deuteronomy 33:27; Isaiah 40:28
  • 10. Isaiah 33:5; Isaiah 66:1
  • 11. Psalms 34:18; Psalms 51:17; Isaiah 66:2
  • 12. Psalms 147:3; Isaiah 61:1-3
  • 13. Genesis 6:3
  • 14. Psalms 85:5; Psalms 103:9; Micah 7:18
  • 15. Isaiah 42:5
  • 16. Isaiah 2:7; Isaiah 56:11; Jeremiah 6:13
  • 17. Isaiah 1:4; Jeremiah 3:14, 22
  • 18. Isaiah 19:22; Isaiah 30:26; Isaiah 53:5
  • 19. Isaiah 52:12
  • 20. Isaiah 61:1-3
  • 21. Isaiah 6:7; Isaiah 51:16; Isaiah 59:21; Hebrews 13:15
  • 22. Isaiah 26:12; Isaiah 32:17
  • 23. Acts 2:39; Ephesians 2:17
  • 24. Job 18:5-14; Isaiah 3:9, 11
  • 25. Isaiah 48:22; Isaiah 59:8
  • 26. Isaiah 49:4

Footnotes 2

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