Old Testament Commentary - Isaiah 26

by Don R. Hender


Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
                   CHAPTER 26                     

Trust in the Lord forever—Jehovah shall die and be resurrected—All men shall rise in the resurrection.

  1 IN that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for awalls and bulwarks.
  2 Open ye the agates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
  3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect apeacea, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
  4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD aJEHOVAH is beverlasting cstrength:
 3a keep him in perfect peace Certainly the events of the last days of the Coming of Christ will be very stressful with disasters of all kinds occuring. But the promise from the Lord of 'peace' or as stated here to 'keep in perfect peace' those who rely and stay themselves upon him and his righteousness is of both comfort and direction. If one will rely upon the arm of the Lord and trust in him, he promises that all will be well with the righteous in that day despite the turmoil which will cover the earth.
  5 ¶ For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.
  6 The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.
  7 The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most aupright, dost weigh the path of the just.
  8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we awaited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
  9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I aseek thee bearly: for when thy cjudgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
  10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.
  11 LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but athey shall see, and be bashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.
  12 ¶ LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our aworks in us.
  13 O LORD our God, other alords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.
  14 aThey are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.
  15 Thou hast aincreased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst bremoved it far unto all the ends of the earth.
  16 LORD, in atrouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy bchastening was upon them.
  17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.
  18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world afallen.
  19 Thy dead men shall alive, together with bmy dead body shall they carise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
  20 ¶ Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, auntil the indignation be overpast.
  21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her ablood, and shall no more cover her slain.