Isaiah 57:9-19

9 "You have journeyed to the king with oil And increased your perfumes; You have 1sent your envoys a great distance And made them go down to Sheol.
10 "You were tired out by the length of your road, Yet you did not say, '2It is hopeless.' You found renewed strength, Therefore * you did not faint.
11 "Of 3whom were you worried and fearful When you lied, and did 4not remember Me Nor 5give Me a thought? Was I not silent even for a long time So you do not fear Me?
12 "I will 6declare your righteousness and your 7deeds, But they will not profit you.
13 "When you cry out, 8let 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 9takes refuge in Me will 10inherit the land And will 11possess My holy mountain."
14 And it will be said, "12Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people."
15 For thus says the 13high and exalted One Who 14lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I 15dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the 16contrite and lowly of spirit In order to 17revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 "For I will 18not contend forever, 19Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would grow faint before * Me, And the 20breath of those whom I have made.
17 "Because of the iniquity of his 21unjust gain I was angry and struck him; I hid My face and was angry, And he went on 22turning away, in the way of his heart.
18 "I have seen his ways, but I will 23heal him; I will 24lead him and 25restore comfort to him and to his mourners,
19 Creating the 26praise of the lips. 27Peace, peace to him who is 28far and to him who is near," Says the LORD, "and I will heal him."

Isaiah 57:9-19 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 28

  • 1. Ezekiel 23:16, 40
  • 2. Jeremiah 2:25; Jeremiah 18:12
  • 3. Proverbs 29:25; Isaiah 51:12, 13
  • 4. Jeremiah 2:32; Jeremiah 3:21
  • 5. Psalms 50:21; Isaiah 42:14
  • 6. Isaiah 58:1, 2
  • 7. Isaiah 29:15; Isaiah 59:6; Isaiah 65:7; Isaiah 66:18; Micah 3:2-4
  • 8. Jeremiah 22:20; Jeremiah 30:14
  • 9. Psalms 37:3, 9; Isaiah 25:4
  • 10. Isaiah 49:8; Isaiah 60:21
  • 11. Isaiah 65:9
  • 12. Isaiah 62:10; Jeremiah 18:15
  • 13. Isaiah 52:13
  • 14. Deuteronomy 33:27; Isaiah 40:28
  • 15. Isaiah 33:5; Isaiah 66:1
  • 16. Psalms 34:18; Psalms 51:17; Isaiah 66:2
  • 17. Psalms 147:3; Isaiah 61:1-3
  • 18. Genesis 6:3
  • 19. Psalms 85:5; Psalms 103:9; Micah 7:18
  • 20. Isaiah 42:5
  • 21. Isaiah 2:7; Isaiah 56:11; Jeremiah 6:13
  • 22. Isaiah 1:4; Jeremiah 3:14, 22
  • 23. Isaiah 19:22; Isaiah 30:26; Isaiah 53:5
  • 24. Isaiah 52:12
  • 25. Isaiah 61:1-3
  • 26. Isaiah 6:7; Isaiah 51:16; Isaiah 59:21; Hebrews 13:15
  • 27. Isaiah 26:12; Isaiah 32:17
  • 28. Acts 2:39; Ephesians 2:17

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. I.e. the nether world
  • [b]. Lit "the life of your hand"
  • [c]. Or "become sick"
  • [d]. Lit "You did not set it upon your heart"
  • [e]. Or "dwells in eternity"
  • [f]. Lit "fruit of the lips"
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