Isaiah 64:3-12

3 When You did 1awesome things which we did not expect, You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence.
4 For from days of old 2they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of the one who 3waits for Him.
5 You 4meet him who rejoices in 5doing righteousness, Who 6remembers You in Your ways. Behold, 7You were angry, for we sinned, We continued in them a long time; And shall we be saved?
6 For all of us have become like one who is 8unclean, And all our 9righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us 10wither like a leaf, And our 11iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7 There is 12no one who calls on Your name, Who arouses himself to take hold of You; For You have 13hidden Your face from us And have delivered us into the power of our iniquities.
8 But now, O LORD, 14You are our Father, We are the 15clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the 16work of Your hand.
9 Do not be 17angry beyond measure, O LORD, 18Nor remember iniquity forever; Behold, look now, all of us are 19Your people.
10 Your 20holy cities have become a 21wilderness, Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our holy and beautiful 22house, Where our fathers praised You, Has been burned by fire; And 23all our precious things have become a ruin.
12 Will You 24restrain Yourself at these things, O LORD? Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?

Images for Isaiah 64:3-12

Isaiah 64:3-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 64

The prayer of the church is continued in this chapter; in which she prays for some visible display of the power and presence of God, as in times past, Isa 64:1-3, and the rather, since unheard of and unseen things were prepared by the Lord for his people; and it was his usual way to meet those that were truly religious, Isa 64:4,5, and she acknowledges her sins and transgressions; the imperfections of her own righteousness, and remissness in duty, Isa 64:5-7, pleads relation to God, and implores his mercy, Isa 64:8,9, represents the desolate condition of Judea, Zion, Jerusalem, and the temple, and entreats divine commiseration, Isa 64:10-12.

Cross References 24

  • 1. Psalms 65:5; Psalms 66:3, 5; Psalms 106:22
  • 2. 1 Corinthians 2:9
  • 3. Isaiah 25:9; Isaiah 30:18; Isaiah 40:31
  • 4. Exodus 20:24
  • 5. Isaiah 56:1
  • 6. Isaiah 26:13; Isaiah 63:7
  • 7. Isaiah 12:1
  • 8. Isaiah 6:5
  • 9. Isaiah 46:12; Isaiah 48:1
  • 10. Psalms 90:5, 6; Isaiah 1:30
  • 11. Isaiah 50:1
  • 12. Isaiah 59:4; Ezekiel 22:30
  • 13. Deuteronomy 31:18; Isaiah 1:15; Isaiah 54:8
  • 14. Isaiah 63:16
  • 15. Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 45:9
  • 16. Psalms 100:3; Isaiah 60:21
  • 17. Isaiah 57:17; Isaiah 60:10
  • 18. Isaiah 43:25; Micah 7:18
  • 19. Psalms 79:13; Isaiah 63:8
  • 20. Isaiah 48:2; Isaiah 52:1
  • 21. Isaiah 1:7; Isaiah 6:11
  • 22. 2 Kings 25:9; Psalms 74:5-7; Isaiah 63:18
  • 23. Lam 1:7, 10, 11
  • 24. Ps 74:10, 11, 18, 19; Isaiah 42:14; Isaiah 63:15

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Reading with the DSS and versions; M.T. "melted"
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.