Isaiah 12:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel."

NIV: Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."

NASB: Rejoice and shout for joy, you inhabitant of Zion, For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

CSB: Cry out and sing, citizen of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel is among you in his greatness."

NLT: Let all the people of Jerusalem shout his praise with joy! For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you.'

KJV: Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

NKJV: Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!”

The prophet Isaiah is not so much commanding the Israelites to give God praise in this moment of history, as appropriate as that will be. This is a prediction: telling Israel they will sing the praises of the Lord. The entire world will hear these praises when the day of God's salvation comes and the Messiah establishes His kingdom on earth (Isaiah 12:4–5).

They won't be subtle about it either, Isaiah promises. The people of Zion, Jerusalem, Israel, will shout and sing for joy. They will loudly proclaim about the greatness of the Holy One of Israel, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, their king forever. All those who have gathered under the rule of the Messiah from all the nations will hear their song and join in, giving praise to the Savior and King.

Isaiah 12:1–6 describes the future, when a reassembled Israel praises God for comforting them and mercifully diverting His anger. They will see that He alone is their salvation, song and strength. Together, they will praise the Lord and proclaim His glory to the peoples and nations of the world. With singing and shouting, the people of Zion, Israel, will declare the greatness of the Holy One of Israel in their midst.

Isaiah follows his description of the future earthly kingdom of the Messiah on earth with a promise: that God's people will praise Him when that day comes. They will see that His anger has turned away and He is comforting them. They will understand that God alone is their salvation, strength, and song. They will encourage each other to spread the news to the world. They will tell stories of what He has done and to invite everyone to join them in exalting His name. The celebration will include loud shouting and joyful singing because the Holy One of Israel is with them.

Isaiah 12 follows the description in Isaiah 11 of the glorious kingdom to be established in Israel's future. This is when a descendant of King David will take the throne over Israel and the world. In that day, they will praise the Messiah who is living in their midst. They will be grateful that He has turned away His anger and chosen to embrace them. This leads into a radical shift in tone, as Isaiah turns to prophecy against the Gentile nations who were oppressing Israel.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).

Accessed 11/23/2024 4:58:14 AM