Isaiah 26

Isaiah 26 continues the theme of God’s deliverance and the triumph of His people. This chapter is often seen as a song of praise for the coming salvation, focusing on the future peace and security that God’s faithful people will experience. It contrasts the fates of the righteous and the wicked and underscores God’s sovereignty over all nations. The chapter emphasizes trust in God as the foundation for peace and eternal life.

Isaiah 26:1-2 (NKJV)
1 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks.
2 Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.

The song of praise declares that God is the ultimate protector of His people. Salvation is depicted as the walls and defense of the city, highlighting the security that comes from God’s saving power. The gates are opened only to those who live righteously and uphold truth, showing the importance of faithful obedience to God’s commandments.

Isaiah 26:3-4 (NKJV)
3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.

Perfect peace is promised to those who trust in God and keep their focus on Him. The idea of keeping the mind “stayed on You” shows the need for consistent, unwavering trust in God. Verse 4 encourages perpetual trust in God, who is described as an everlasting source of strength, emphasizing that His power is eternal and reliable.

Isaiah 26:5-6 (NKJV)
5 For He brings down those who dwell on high, The lofty city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He brings it down to the dust.
6 The foot shall trample it, The feet of the poor And the steps of the needy.”

God’s justice is portrayed as bringing down the proud and lofty, symbolized by a high city that is reduced to dust. The poor and needy, often oppressed by the proud, are depicted as the ones who will trample over the ruins of this fallen city. This shows God’s care for the humble and His judgment on the arrogant.

Isaiah 26:7-8 (NKJV)
7 The way of the just is uprightness; O Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just.
8 Yes, in the way of Your judgments, O Lord, we have waited for You; The desire of our soul is for Your name And for the remembrance of You.

The lives of the just are marked by uprightness, and God carefully weighs or judges their path. The righteous patiently wait for God’s judgments, showing their trust in His timing and justice. Their deepest desire is for God’s name to be honored and remembered, reflecting their devotion and longing for His presence.

Isaiah 26:9-10 (NKJV)
9 With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
10 Let grace be shown to the wicked, Yet he will not learn righteousness; In the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly, And will not behold the majesty of the Lord.

This passage expresses a deep yearning for God, even in the quiet moments of the night. The speaker’s desire is to seek God early, showing a heart fully devoted to Him. It’s observed that God's judgments teach the world righteousness. However, even when grace is extended to the wicked, they fail to repent and continue in their unjust ways, refusing to recognize God’s majesty.

Isaiah 26:11-12 (NKJV)
11 Lord, when Your hand is lifted up, they will not see. But they will see and be ashamed For their envy of people; Yes, the fire of Your enemies shall devour them.
12 Lord, You will establish peace for us, For You have also done all our works in us.

The wicked are blind to God’s hand of action, but they will eventually see and be ashamed when God's judgment comes. Their envy and opposition to God’s people will lead to their downfall. In contrast, the righteous trust that God will establish peace for them, recognizing that it is God’s power working through them that accomplishes everything.

Isaiah 26:13-14 (NKJV)
13 O Lord our God, masters besides You Have had dominion over us; But by You only we make mention of Your name.
14 They are dead, they will not live; They are deceased, they will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, And made all their memory to perish.

This passage acknowledges that other rulers or powers have oppressed God’s people in the past, but they now only call upon God’s name. Those oppressors are described as dead and forgotten, emphasizing God’s ultimate victory over all powers and the erasure of their memory. Their rebellion against God leads to their destruction.

Isaiah 26:15-16 (NKJV)
15 You have increased the nation, O Lord, You have increased the nation; You are glorified; You have expanded all the borders of the land.
16 Lord, in trouble they have visited You, They poured out a prayer when Your chastening was upon them.

God is praised for increasing and blessing His people, expanding their territory and bringing them glory. However, the people also recall how in times of trouble, they turned to God and prayed fervently, especially when experiencing His discipline. This reflects how trials often lead to renewed dependence on God.

Isaiah 26:17-18 (NKJV)
17 As a woman with child Is in pain and cries out in her pangs, When she draws near the time of her delivery, So have we been in Your 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 accomplished any deliverance in the earth, Nor have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

The suffering of the people is compared to a woman in labor, highlighting the intensity of their distress. Despite their efforts, they feel like they have accomplished nothing, symbolized by “bringing forth wind.” They recognize that they have not brought about any deliverance or significant change, underscoring their need for God’s intervention.

Isaiah 26:19 (NKJV)
19 Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.

This verse offers a powerful hope of resurrection. God promises that the dead will rise, and those who have died in faith will awaken and sing. The image of dew reviving the earth reflects how God will bring new life to His people, even from death, demonstrating His power over life and death.

Isaiah 26:20-21 (NKJV)
20 Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past.
21 For behold, the Lord comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain.

God calls His people to hide and take refuge while His judgment passes over the earth. This reflects God’s protective care for His faithful ones during times of divine wrath. In verse 21, God’s judgment is imminent, as He punishes the wicked for their iniquity. The earth itself will reveal all the wrongs committed, and no injustice will remain hidden.