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Isaiah 12

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A Song of Personal Thanksgiving 1–3

1
And in that day thou shalt say, I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah; for though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me. ​
2
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid: for Jehovah, even Jehovah, is my strength and song; and he is become my salvation. ​
3
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. ​

A Call to Global Witness and Praise 4–6

4
And in that day shall ye say, Give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name, declare his doings among the peoples, make mention that his name is exalted. ​
5
Sing unto Jehovah; for he hath done excellent things: let this be known in all the earth.
6
Cry aloud and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great in the midst of thee is the Holy One of Israel. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Isaiah 12

Verse 1

thine anger is turned away — 'Is turned away' (shub) reverses the refrain of 5:25, 9:12, 9:17, 9:21 and 10:4, 'his anger is not turned away'. 'Comfortedst' is nacham, the verb of 40:1, 'Comfort ye, comfort ye my people'. 'Praise' is yadah, to give thanks, the root of Judah's name: 'Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah' (Gen 29:35).

Verse 2

the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song — The line is that of Ex 15:2 and Ps 118:14, 'The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation'. Here the name is doubled, Yah and Jehovah, printed 'LORD JEHOVAH' as at 26:4. 'Salvation' (yeshuah) comes three times in vv.2–3; its root yasha is the sense of the name Jesus, 'for he shall save' (Matt 1:21).

Verse 3

draw water out of the wells of salvation — 'Wells' is ma'yan, a spring, and 'draw' (sha'ab) is the verb of the women at the well in Gen 24:11. The 'thou' of v.1 has become 'ye'. Christ's call, 'If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink' (John 7:37), and Isa 55:1, 'Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters', speak of the same water.

Verse 4

declare his doings among the people — The three commands, 'Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people', follow Ps 105:1 in the same order: 'give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people'. 'Exalted' is sagab, the verb of 2:11 and 2:17, 'the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day'.

Verse 6

great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee — 'Cry out' (tsahal) is the verb of 10:30, 'Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim', here used of Zion. 'The Holy One of Israel' occurs in 1:4, 5:19, 5:24, 10:20 and here, the last use in these twelve chapters. 'In the midst of thee' is the promise of Zeph 3:17, 'The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty'.