Isaiah 26:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: O LORD, your hand is lifted up, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people, and be ashamed. Let the fire for your adversaries consume them.

NIV: LORD, your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame; let the fire reserved for your enemies consume them.

NASB: Lord, Your hand is lifted up, yet they do not see it. They see Your zeal for the people and are put to shame; Indeed, fire will devour Your enemies.

CSB: Lord, your hand is lifted up to take action, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame. Let fire consume your adversaries.

NLT: O Lord, they pay no attention to your upraised fist. Show them your eagerness to defend your people. Then they will be ashamed. Let your fire consume your enemies.

KJV: LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

NKJV: 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.

This song of praise to the Lord (Isaiah 26:1) has taken a turn. Isaiah writes from the perspective of his own time, calling for the Lord to act in judgment against those who do evil. Judgment is the only way the those who do evil will learn about the Lord's true majesty, Isaiah has stated (Isaiah 26:9–10).

Those who stubbornly reject God (Psalm 14:1) cannot even recognizing the Lord's power to consume them. They do not notice the signs that the threat is real and the Lord is ready to strike them down (Proverbs 29:1). They continue in their wickedness, especially against the Lord's people Israel. Their actions are as if nothing could ever stop them or make them pay for their wrongdoing (Psalm 10:13).

The prophet wants the Lord to act. He wants Israel's enemies to see the Lord's enthusiastic support for His people. Isaiah wants the world to be forced to recognize that the Lord is on their side. He is ready for those who stand against the Lord to suffer humiliation and to be ashamed for their actions.

Isaiah speaks plainly. He bluntly asks that the Lord consume His enemies with the fire He has prepared for them (Psalm 35:4–6; 83:13–18). He is ready for justice and for vindication in the eyes of the world that the Lord is their God. However, Isaiah is also ready for peace (Isaiah 26:12).

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).