Isaiah 64:1-4

Prayer for Mercy and Help

1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens and ¹come down, That the mountains might ²quake at Your presence -

2 As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil - To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the ³nations may tremble at Your presence!

3 When You did ⁴awesome things which we did not expect, You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence.

4 For from days of old ⁵they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of the one who ⁶waits for Him.

Isaiah 64:1-4 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

• 1. Exodus 19:18; Psalms 18:9; Psalms 144:5; Micah 1:3, 4; Habakkuk 3:13
• 2. Judges 5:5; Psalms 68:8; Nahum 1:5
• 3. Psalms 99:1; Jeremiah 5:22; Jeremiah 33:9
• 4. Psalms 65:5; Psalms 66:3, 5; Psalms 106:22
• 5. 1 Corinthians 2:9
• 6. Isaiah 25:9; Isaiah 30:18; Isaiah 40:31

Footnotes

• [a]. Ch 63:19b in Heb
• [b]. Ch 64:1 in Heb