Isaiah 59:13-21

13 Transgressing and 1denying the LORD, And turning away from our God, Speaking 2oppression and revolt, Conceiving in and 3uttering from the heart lying words.
14 4Justice is turned back, And 5righteousness stands far away; For truth has stumbled in the street, And uprightness cannot * enter.
15 Yes, truth is lacking; And he who turns aside from evil 6makes himself a prey. Now the LORD saw, And it was displeasing in His sight 7that there was no justice.
16 And He saw that there was 8no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede; Then His 9own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him.
17 He put on 10righteousness like a breastplate, And a 11helmet of salvation on His head; And He put on 12garments of vengeance for clothing And wrapped Himself with 13zeal as a mantle.
18 14According to their deeds, so He will repay, Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; To the coastlands He will make recompense.
19 So they will fear the name of the LORD from the 15west And His glory from the 16rising of the sun, For He will 17come like a rushing stream Which the wind of the LORD drives.
20 "A 18Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who 19turn from transgression in Jacob," declares the LORD.
21 "As for Me, this is My 20covenant with them," says the LORD: "My 21Spirit which is upon you, and My 22words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring," says the LORD, "from now and forever *."

Isaiah 59:13-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 59

As the former chapter declares the hypocrisy and formality of professors of religion; this expresses the errors and heresies, immorality and profaneness, which shall prevail before the spiritual reign of Christ, or the latter day glory begins; which is so fully described in the next chapter. Reasons are given of God's withdrawing his presence from a professing people, which were not want of power and readiness in him, but their own sins and transgressions, Isa 59:1,2 which are enumerated, such as murder, rapine, lies Isa 59:3-8 for which the judgments of God were upon them, darkness, distress, and misery, of which they were sensible, Isa 59:9-11 and confess their sins and transgressions, Isa 59:12,13 and lament their wretched state and condition, which was displeasing to God, Isa 59:14,15 who is represented as appearing for their salvation; moved to it by their want of help, and the oppression of their enemies, in which he shows his power, justice, zeal, grace, and goodness, Isa 59:16-18 the consequence of which shall be the conversion and salvation of many, owing to the efficacy of the divine Spirit, and to the spiritual coming of the Redeemer, Isa 59:19,20, and the chapter is closed with a promise of the continuance of the Spirit of God, and the Gospel of Christ in his church, unto the end of the world, Isa 59:21.

Cross References 22

  • 1. Joshua 24:27; Proverbs 30:9; Matthew 10:33; Titus 1:16
  • 2. Isaiah 5:7; Isaiah 30:12; Jeremiah 9:3, 4
  • 3. Isaiah 59:3, 4; Mark 7:21, 22
  • 4. Isaiah 1:21; Isaiah 5:7
  • 5. Isaiah 46:12; Habakkuk 1:4
  • 6. Isaiah 5:23; Isaiah 10:2; Isaiah 29:21; Isaiah 32:7
  • 7. Isaiah 1:21-23
  • 8. Isaiah 41:28; Isaiah 63:5; Ezekiel 22:30
  • 9. Psalms 98:1; Isaiah 52:10; Isaiah 63:5
  • 10. Ephesians 6:14
  • 11. Ephesians 6:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8
  • 12. Isaiah 63:2, 3
  • 13. Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 37:32; Zechariah 1:14
  • 14. Job 34:11; Isaiah 65:6, 7; Isaiah 66:6; Jeremiah 17:10
  • 15. Isaiah 49:12
  • 16. Psalms 113:3
  • 17. Isaiah 30:28; Isaiah 66:12
  • 18. Romans 11:26
  • 19. Ezekiel 18:30, 31; Acts 2:38, 39
  • 20. Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 11:27
  • 21. Isaiah 11:2; Isaiah 32:15; Isaiah 44:3
  • 22. Isaiah 55:11

Footnotes 7

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