Isaiah 59:2-8

2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
3 For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken falsely, and your tongue mutters wicked things.
4 No one calls for justice; no one pleads a case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments, they utter lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.
5 They hatch the eggs of vipers and spin a spider’s web. Whoever eats their eggs will die, and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.
6 Their cobwebs are useless for clothing; they cannot cover themselves with what they make. Their deeds are evil deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands.
7 Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood. They pursue evil schemes; acts of violence mark their ways.
8 The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks along them will know peace.

Isaiah 59:2-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 59

As the former chapter declares the hypocrisy and formality of professors of religion; this expresses the errors and heresies, immorality and profaneness, which shall prevail before the spiritual reign of Christ, or the latter day glory begins; which is so fully described in the next chapter. Reasons are given of God's withdrawing his presence from a professing people, which were not want of power and readiness in him, but their own sins and transgressions, Isa 59:1,2 which are enumerated, such as murder, rapine, lies Isa 59:3-8 for which the judgments of God were upon them, darkness, distress, and misery, of which they were sensible, Isa 59:9-11 and confess their sins and transgressions, Isa 59:12,13 and lament their wretched state and condition, which was displeasing to God, Isa 59:14,15 who is represented as appearing for their salvation; moved to it by their want of help, and the oppression of their enemies, in which he shows his power, justice, zeal, grace, and goodness, Isa 59:16-18 the consequence of which shall be the conversion and salvation of many, owing to the efficacy of the divine Spirit, and to the spiritual coming of the Redeemer, Isa 59:19,20, and the chapter is closed with a promise of the continuance of the Spirit of God, and the Gospel of Christ in his church, unto the end of the world, Isa 59:21.

Cross References 19

  • 1. Jeremiah 5:25; Ezekiel 39:23
  • 2. S Psalms 18:41; S Isaiah 1:15; Isaiah 58:4; S Jeremiah 11:11; S John 9:31
  • 3. S 2 Kings 21:16; S Isaiah 1:15; S Ezekiel 22:9
  • 4. Psalms 7:3
  • 5. S Isaiah 3:8
  • 6. S Isaiah 5:23
  • 7. S Job 15:31
  • 8. S Isaiah 44:20
  • 9. S Job 4:8; S Isaiah 29:20; James 1:15; Job 15:35; Psalms 7:14
  • 10. S Isaiah 11:8; Matthew 3:7
  • 11. S Job 8:14
  • 12. Isaiah 28:20
  • 13. S Psalms 55:9; S Proverbs 4:17; S Isaiah 58:4
  • 14. S 2 Kings 21:16; S Proverbs 6:17; S Micah 3:10
  • 15. S Proverbs 24:2; S Isaiah 26:10; Mark 7:21-22
  • 16. Romans 3:15-17*
  • 17. Romans 3:15-17*
  • 18. S Judges 5:6
  • 19. S Isaiah 57:21; Luke 1:79
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