Isaiah 64:1-10

1 ) We wish you would tear open heaven and come down, so the mountains would shake at your presence!

2 It would be like fire kindling the brush, and the fire then makes the water boil. Then your enemies would know your name, the nations would tremble before you!

3 When you did tremendous things that we were not expecting, we wished that you would come down, so that the mountains would shake at your presence!

4 No one has ever heard, no ear perceived, no eye seen, any God but you. You work for him who waits for you.

5 You favored those who were glad to do justice, those who remembered you in your ways. When you were angry, we kept sinning; but if we keep your ancient ways, we will be saved.

6 All of us are like someone unclean, all our righteous deeds like menstrual rags; we wither, all of us, like leaves; and our misdeeds blow us away like the wind.

7 No one calls on your name or bestirs himself to take hold of you, for you have hidden your face from us and caused our misdeeds to destroy us.

8 But now, ADONAI, you are our father; we are the clay, you are our potter; and we are all the work of your hands.

9 Do not be so very angry, ADONAI! Don't remember crime forever. Look, please, we are all your people.

10 Your holy cities have become a desert, Tziyon a desert, Yerushalayim a ruin.

Isaiah 64:1-10 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.