Isaiah 26:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The path of the righteous is level; you make level the way of the righteous.

NIV: The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth.

NASB: The way of the righteous is smooth; O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level.

CSB: The path of the righteous is level; you clear a straight path for the righteous.

NLT: But for those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough. You are a God who does what is right, and you smooth out the path ahead of them.

KJV: The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.

NKJV: The way of the just is uprightness; O Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just.

What is the value of trusting fully in the Lord? Isaiah's song (Isaiah 26:1) named several advantages. The righteous nations that trust in Him will be welcomed into His eternal city. As will individuals who keep their minds focused on Him. Their trust will bring perfect peace. Those who trust in Him will rest in true security on the Rock that is the Lord (Isaiah 26:2–4).

This verse states another benefit. Those who trust in the Lord obey Him. This obedience to God leads to living lives of righteousness. The result of such righteousness is traveling along "level" paths. People of that era mostly traveled from place to place on foot. Such travel was made more difficult by paths that trudged uphill or wound back and forth in switchbacks to gain elevation. Isaiah is not saying that those who live righteously will have no struggles. He is saying that the Lord responds to such living by making their paths straighter and more level. Godly wisdom (Proverbs 1:7) says that trying to live outside of the Lord's design for life always introduces obstacles and difficulty.

Again, trust in God is the heart of the issue: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths" (Proverbs 3:5–6).

Isaiah 26:1–15 celebrates the Lord's future victory over wickedness on the earth and looks forward to the coming of God's judgment. Isaiah longs for that judgment to come. But the prophet knows the Lord gives perfect peace to all who stay focused on trusting Him. Only the Lord God remains of all those who attempted to rule over Israel.

Chapter 26 is a song to be sung in the land of Judah during the time of the Lord's reign as king over the earth. The towering city of wickedness has been replaced by the strong city of salvation. Isaiah waits, longing for the Lord to come and judge the sinfulness of the world. The Lord will bring peace to Israel for good. Their other rulers are dead and not worthy of remembering. The Lord's discipline has caused His people to turn back to Him. The dead among them will be resurrected after the fury of His judgment.

Chapter 26 is part of a larger section that includes chapters 24–27. The section of the book follows the descriptions of the Lord's judgment on the earth and the beginning of His kingdom through a song to be sung in Judah during that time. The wicked city of the world has been replaced with the city of salvation. Isaiah longs for the Lord to come and judge the earth. The prophet wants all to see the Lord's zeal for His own people by destroying His enemies. Isaiah remembers God's discipline and looks forward to the resurrection of the dead among His people.

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).