Isaiah 54

1 Thou barren, that childest not, praise; thou that childest not, sing praising, and make joy; for why many sons be of the forsaken, more than of her that had [the] husband, saith the Lord. (Thou barren woman, who never gave birth, praise ye; thou who never gave birth, sing praises, and make joy; for many sons and daughters be of the deserted woman, more than of her who had the husband, saith the Lord.)
2 Alarge thou the place of thy tent, and stretch forth the skins of thy tabernacles; spare thou not, make long thy ropes, and make firm thy nails. (Enlarge thou the place of thy tent, and stretch forth the curtains of thy tent; do not spare thou, make thy ropes long, and make thy nails firm.)
3 For thou shalt pierce to the right side and to the left side; and thy seed shall inherit heathen men, and shall dwell in forsaken cities. (For thou shalt break forth to the right and to the left; and thy children shall inherit the heathen, and shall live in abandoned cities.)
4 Do not thou dread, for thou shalt not be shamed, neither thou shalt be ashamed. For it shall not shame thee; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and thou shalt no more think on the shame of thy widowhood. (Do not thou fear, for thou shalt not be shamed, nor shalt thou be ashamed. For it shall not shame thee; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and thou shalt think no more about the shame of thy widowhood.)
5 For he that made thee, shall be lord of thee; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thine again-buyer, the Holy of Israel, shall be called God of all earth. (For he who made thee, shall be thy lord, or thy husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, shall be called the God of all the earth.)
6 For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and mourning in spirit, and (as) a wife, that is cast away from youth. Thy Lord God said, (For the Lord hath called thee like a deserted woman, mourning in spirit, and like a young wife who is cast away. The Lord thy God said,)
7 At a point in (a) little time, I forsook thee, and I shall gather thee together in great merciful doings. (At a point for a short time, I left thee; but now, with great merciful doings, I shall gather thee back.)
8 In a moment of indignation I hid my face a little from thee, and in mercy everlasting I had mercy on thee, said thine again-buyer, the Lord. (In a moment of anger I hid my face from thee, for a short time; but now, with everlasting mercy, I shall have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.)
9 As in the days of Noe, this thing is to me, to whom I swore, that I should no more bring waters of the great flood on the earth; so I swore, that I shall be no more wroth to thee, and that I blame not thee. (This is to me, like in the days of Noah, to whom I swore, that never again would I bring the waters of a great flood upon the earth; so now I swear to thee, that never again shall I be angry with thee, and never again shall I rebuke thee.)
10 Forsooth hills shall be moved together, and little hills shall tremble together; but my mercy shall not go away from thee, and the bond of my peace shall not be moved, saith the merciful doer, the Lord. (Yea, though the mountains be removed, and the little hills shall tremble; but my mercy shall not go away from thee, and my covenant shall not be moved, or shaken, saith the merciful doer, the Lord.)
11 Thou little and poor (one), drawn out by tempest, without any comfort, lo! I shall strew thy stones by order, and I shall found thee in sapphires; (O poor little one, drawn out by the tempest, without any comfort, lo! I shall set thy stones in order, and I shall lay thy foundations with sapphires;)
12 and I shall set jasper thy towers, and thy gates into graven stones, and all thine ends into desirable stones. (and I shall build thy towers out of jasper, and thy gates out of firestones, and all thy boundary stones shall be jewels.)
13 And I shall set all thy sons taught of the Lord; and the multitude of peace to thy sons, (And all thy children shall be taught by the Lord; and thy children shall have great peace,)
14 and thou shalt be founded in rightfulness. Go thou away far from false challenge, for thou shalt not dread; and from dread, for it shall not nigh to thee. (and thou shalt be founded in righteousness. Thou shalt be free from oppression, for thou shalt not have any fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near, or close, to thee.)
15 Lo! a stranger shall come, that was not with me; he, that was sometime thy comeling, shall be joined to thee. (Lo! some shall gather together against thee, but it shall not be by my doing; and all those who do gather together against thee, shall fall/shall fail.)
16 Lo! I made a smith blowing coals in [the] fire, and bringing forth a vessel into his work; and I have made a slayer, for to lose. (Lo! it was I who made the smith who bloweth on the coals in the fire, and bringeth forth weapons from his work; and I who made the killer, to destroy and to lay waste.)
17 Each vessel which is made against thee, shall not be directed; and in the doom thou shalt deem each tongue against-standing thee. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and the rightfulness of them at me, saith the Lord. (But now no weapon, which is made to harm thee, shall prosper; and thou shalt judge in judgement every tongue speaking against thee. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from me, saith the Lord.)

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Isaiah 54 Commentary

Chapter 54

The increase of the church by the conversion of the Jews and Gentiles. (1-5) Its certain deliverance. (6-10) Its triumphant state is described. (11-17)

Verses 1-5 Observe the low state of religion in the world, for a long time before Christianity was brought in. But by preaching the gospel, multitudes were converted from idols to the living God. This is matter of great rejoicing to the church. The bounds of the church were extended. Though its state on earth is but mean and movable, like a tent or tabernacle, it is sometimes a growing state, and must be enlarged as the family increases. But the more numerous the church grows, the more she must fortify herself against errors and corruptions. Thy Maker is thy Husband. Christ is the Holy One of Israel, the Mediator of the covenant made with the Old Testament church. Long he had been called the God of Israel; but now he shall be called the God of the whole earth. And he will cleanse from sin, and cause every true believer to rejoice in this sacred union. We never can enough admire this mercy, or duly value this privilege.

Verses 6-10 As God is slow to anger, so he is swift to show mercy. And how sweet the returns of mercy would be, when God should come and comfort them! He will have mercy on them. God's gathering his people takes rise from his mercy, not any merit of theirs; and it is with great mercies, with everlasting kindness. The wrath is little, the mercies great; the wrath for a moment, the kindness everlasting. We are neither to despond under afflictions, nor to despair of relief. Mountains have been shaken and removed, but the promises of God never were broken by any event. Mountains and hills also signify great men. Creature-confidences shall fail; but when our friends fail us, our God does not. All this is alike applicable to the church at large, and to each believer. God will rebuke and correct his people for sins; but he will not cast them off. Let this encourage us to give the more diligence to make our calling and election sure.

Verses 11-17 Let the people of God, when afflicted and tossed, think they hear God speaking comfortably to them by these words, taking notice of their griefs and fears. The church is all glorious when full of the knowledge of God; for none teaches like him. It is a promise of the teaching and gifts of the Holy Spirit. All that are taught of God are taught to love one another. This seems to relate especially to the glorious times to succeed the tribulations of the church. Holiness, more than any thing, is the beauty of the church. God promises protection. There shall be no fears within; there shall be no fightings without. Military men value themselves on their splendid titles, but God calls them, "Wasters made to destroy," for they make wasting and destruction their business. He created them, therefore he will serve his own designs by them. The day is coming when God will reckon with wicked men for their hard speeches, ( Jude 1:15 ) . Security and final victory are the heritage of each faithful servant of the Lord. The righteousness by which they are justified, and the grace by which they are sanctified, are the gift of God, and the effect of his special love. Let us beseech him to sanctify our souls, and to employ us in his service.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 54

As the former chapter is a prophecy of the humiliation and exaltation of Christ, of his sufferings and death, and the glory that should follow; this is a prophecy of that part of his glory which relates to the flourishing estate of his church, as the fruit of his death, and explains and enlarges upon the promise of his having a numerous seed. The prophecy reaches from the death and resurrection of Christ to his second coming; and describes the state of the church during that time, which had been like a barren woman, but now fruitful, which was matter of joy; and would increase, and have yet a more numerous issue, through the conversion and accession of the Gentiles; and therefore is bid not to fear, since she should not bear the shame and reproach of widowhood, Isa 54:1-4, the reason confirming which is, because Christ was her husband, who was her Maker and Redeemer, the God of Israel, and of the whole earth, Isa 54:5, and though she might for some time be under some dark providences, and seem to be forsaken of God, and lie under his displeasure; yet she is assured of the love of God towards her, that it is constant and perpetual; which is illustrated by the oath and covenant of God with Noah, and by its being more immovable than mountains and hills, Isa 54:6-10, and though she would sometimes be in a very afflicted and uncomfortable condition, yet should be raised again to a state of great honour and splendour, of spiritual knowledge, peace, and safety, Isa 54:11-14 and that all her enemies, that gathered together against her, should perish, and all their attempts be unsuccessful, since the Lord was on her side, and would defend her cause, and protect her, Isa 54:15-17.

Isaiah 54 Commentaries

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.