Isaiah 26:1-8

1 In that day this song shall be sung in the land of Judah. The city of our strength; the saviour shall be set therein, the wall and the forewall, either a stronghold before the wall. (On that day this song shall be sung in the land of Judah. The city of our strength; salvation shall be found there, yea, the wall and the forewall, that is, a stronghold in front of the wall.)

2 Open ye the gates, and the just folk shall enter, keeping truth. (Open ye the gates, and the just nation shall enter in/and the righteous people shall enter in, keeping faith.)

3 The eld error is gone away; thou shalt keep peace, peace, for thou, Lord, we hoped in thee. (Thou shalt keep us in peace, Lord, for we have put away the old errors, yea, in perfect peace, for we who hope in thee.)

4 Ye have hoped in the Lord, in everlasting worlds, in the Lord God, strong without end. (Yea, hope ye in the Lord, forever, in the Lord God, who shall be strong forever.)

5 For he shall bow down them that dwell on high, and he shall make low an high city; he shall make it low till to the earth; he shall draw it down till to the dust. (For he shall bow down those who be proud, or be haughty, and he shall make low a high city; he shall make it low unto the ground; he shall draw it down unto the dust.)

6 The foot of a poor man shall defoul it, and the steps of needy men shall defoul it. (The foot of the poor shall defile it, and the steps of the needy shall defile it.)

7 The way of a just man is rightful, the path of a just man is rightful to go (on). (The way of the just is right, or is straightforward, yea, the path of the just is straight and clear to go on.)

8 And in the way of thy dooms, Lord, we suffered thee; thy name, and thy memorial is in desire of soul. (And in the way of thy judgements, Lord, we followed thee; thy name and the remembrance of thee be our hearts? desire.)

Isaiah 26:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 26

This chapter contains a song of praise for the safety and prosperity of the church, and the destruction of its enemies. The church is represented as a strong city, whose walls and bulwarks are salvation, Isa 26:1 it is said to have gates which are to be opened to a righteous nation, Isa 26:2 its inhabitants, being such who trust in the Lord, are promised perfect peace, Isa 26:3 hence the saints are exhorted to trust in him, Isa 26:4 then follows an account of another city, described as lofty, and its inhabitants as dwelling on high, who are brought down, and trampled on, by the feet of the poor and needy, Isa 26:5,6 when the prophet returns to the righteous, and asserts their way to be uprightness, because their path is weighed or levelled by God the most upright, Isa 26:7 and in the name of the church declares that they had waited for the Lord in the way of his judgments; and that the desire of their souls was to his name, and the remembrance of it; and that they continued, and would continue, to desire him, and seek after him, seeing righteousness was to be learned by his judgments, Isa 26:8,9 and though the wicked would not be brought to repentance and reformation by the goodness of God, nor take notice of his hand, yet they should see and be ashamed, and destroyed at last, Isa 26:10,11 but notwithstanding these judgments of God in the earth, the church professes her faith in the Lord, that he would give her peace and prosperity, from the consideration of what he had wrought for her, and in her, Isa 26:12 and rejects all other lords but him, Isa 26:13 who were dead, and should not live again, but were visited and destroyed, and their memory made to perish, Isa 26:14 but the righteous nation should be increased, though they should meet with trouble, which would cause them to go to the throne of grace, and there pour out their complaints, express their pain and distresses, and the disappointments they had met with, Isa 26:15-18 to which an answer is returned, promising a glorious resurrection, Isa 26:19 and calling upon the people of God to retire to their chambers for protection in the mean while, until the punishment to be inflicted on the inhabitants of the earth for their sins was over, Isa 26:20,21.