Isaiah 25:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

NIV: In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."

NASB: And it will be said on that day, 'Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; Let’s rejoice and be glad in His salvation.'

CSB: On that day it will be said, "Look, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he has saved us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him. Let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."

NLT: In that day the people will proclaim, 'This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the Lord, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!'

KJV: And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

NKJV: And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”

Some commentators interpret this as people erupting in praise for the Lord. They would be responding to the removal of death and the end of the reproach of sin (Isaiah 25:7–8). Isaiah declares that these words will be used on that day.

Together, God's people declare that He is their God. Their relationship with Him has been characterized by waiting for Him. People who trust in the Lord wait for Him to keep His promises. All that waiting has now proven to have been worthwhile. Their faith in what they could not see is proven in this moment. They wait for the Lord to save them once and for all, and now He has done it just as He said He would. The Lord always comes through in His promises.

The people call to each other to be glad and to rejoice in His salvation of them. What other response could there possibly be to this news?

Chapter 25:6–12 describes a celebratory feast, hosted by God Himself, at the inauguration of His kingdom. The Lord will completely remove death and the shame of sin from His people. He also describes how the Lord takes away death forever for those who are His. The salvation which Israel long expected will come at last. In contrast, those who still refuse God's authority are crushed and humiliated. Moab, symbolic of all the nations who hated Israel, is depicted writhing in a cesspit under God's heel.

Isaiah's description of the Lord's judgment on the earth is followed by celebration. This comes at the beginning of the Lord's reign over all the earth. The prophet declares his own praise for God's wonderful works and righteous plans. The Lord protects the needy from the ruthless. At the inaugural banquet, the Lord swallows up death forever and wipes away every tear. All the people declare that they were right to wait on their Lord to save them. The Lord judges unbelieving Moab by trampling them into their place.

In the previous chapter, the Lord of hosts is said to reign on Mount Zion following His judgment of the entire earth. Here, Isaiah declares His praise for the Lord who protects the poor and needy. At an inaugural banquet for His kingdom, the Lord swallows up death forever. He also takes away the shame of His people's sin while wiping away their tears. The people rejoice and are glad for waiting on the Lord's salvation. The Lord destroys Moab—symbolic of nations who reject God—in judgment for not trusting in Him.

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).