Isaiah 26:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: O LORD our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone we bring to remembrance.

NIV: LORD our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone do we honor.

NASB: Lord, our God, other masters besides You have ruled us; But through You alone we confess Your name.

CSB: Lord our God, lords other than you have owned us, but we remember your name alone.

NLT: O Lord our God, others have ruled us, but you alone are the one we worship.

KJV: O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.

NKJV: O Lord our God, masters besides You Have had dominion over us; But by You only we make mention of Your name.

Isaiah declared with great confidence that God will establish peace for Israel once more (Isaiah 26:12). Isaiah knows God has been the power behind everything Israel has ever accomplished (Psalm 44:1–3). God has won every victory over their enemies (Isaiah 26:12).

Now Isaiah admits that other lords, besides the one true Lord God of Israel, have ruled over them. It's unclear if he is referring to the leaders of foreign nations who have conquered Israel in the past. Or he may be referring to false gods to which the people of Israel and Judah have willingly submitted.

Whatever is meant by the "other lords" who have ruled over Israel in the past, Isaiah makes it clear they are now mere fragments of history. Israel honors only the Lord. Only God is worthy of praise and worship.

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 The towering city of wickedness has been replaced by the strong city of salvation.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).

Accessed 5/4/2024 8:03:46 PM