Isaiah 64

The Israelites in Isaiah’s time were indeed in a bad way both physically and spiritually; God had made them waste away because of [their] sins (verse 7). They were powerless, helpless. And in that state, they were ready—through their prophet—to cast themselves on the mercy of their heavenly Father.

8–12 Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. God is rarely called “Father” in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 32:6; Isaiah 63:16). But here Isaiah pleads with God as a son pleads with his father.²³⁶ Do not be angry beyond measure (verse 9)—beyond what we can bear (see Isaiah 42:3); do not remember our sins forever (see Isaiah 57:16). Isaiah asks God to remember, not their sins, but their standing as His children, as His people.

In verses 10–11, Isaiah looks ahead and sees the terrible punishment God is going to inflict on His people through the Babylonians; even God’s glorious temple will be burned with fire (see 2 Kings 25:8–9). After all this, O Lord, will you not forgive us and save us? (verse 12).

Isaiah’s prayer ends with a question; God’s answer to the question will be given in the final two chapters of Isaiah. In many ways, Isaiah’s prayer in this chapter is a model prayer for all of us who sometimes find ourselves “wasting away” because of our sins (verse 7). Note that Isaiah’s prayer begins in the previous chapter with praise (Isaiah 63:7); here it ends with the humble expectation of God’s answer. That’s a good beginning and ending for any prayer.