Isaiah 63:19

19 Sometimes it seems as though we never belonged to you, as though we had never been known as your people.

Isaiah 63:19 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 63:19

We are thine
Thy children, thy people, thy subjects. Some read it, taking a word from the next clause, "we are thine of old", or "from everlasting" ^F8; as the Lord's special people are, being chosen by him in Christ before the foundation of the world, and taken into an everlasting covenant by him, when he became their God, and they his people; agreeably to which is the Targum,

``we are thy people that were of old;''

so Kimchi reads the words: "thou never barest rule over them"; the Heathens that oppressed them; they never acknowledged God as their King as they did, or were subject to him as they were; and therefore had no claim to protection from him as they had: they were not called by thy name;
they were not called the people of God, nor the children of God, nor the servants or subjects of God; or, "thy name is not called upon them" ^F9; or they called after it; nor did they call upon it, but served other gods. The Targum is,

``thou hast not given unto the people the doctrine of thy law, neither is thy name called upon by them.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (Mlwem wnyyh) "non fuimus [tui] ab omni aevo", Grotius; "a seculo", Pagninus, Montanus.
F9 (Mhyle Kmv arqn al) "nec invocatum est nomen tuum super eos", Pagninus, Montanus.

Isaiah 63:19 In-Context

17 LORD, why have you allowed us to turn from your path? Why have you given us stubborn hearts so we no longer fear you? Return and help us, for we are your servants, the tribes that are your special possession.

18 How briefly your holy people possessed your holy place, and now our enemies have destroyed it.

19 Sometimes it seems as though we never belonged to you, as though we had never been known as your people.