TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 26:5–11. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here the prophet further encourages us to trust in the Lord for ever, and to continue waiting on him; for,
I.He will make humble souls that trust in him to triumph over their proud enemies, Isa 26:5, Isa 26:6.
Those that exalt themselves shall be abased: For he brings down those that dwell on high; and wherein they deal proudly he is, and will be, above them. Even the lofty city Babylon itself, or Nineveh, he lays it low, Isa 25:12. He can do it, be it ever so well fortified. He has often done it. He will do it, for he resists the proud. It is his glory to do it, for he proves himself to be God by looking on the proud and abasing them, Job 40:12. But, on the contrary, those that humble themselves shall be exalted; for the feet of the poor shall tread upon the lofty cities, Isa 26:6. He does not say, Great armies shall tread them down; but, When God will have it done, even the feet of the poor shall do it, Mal 4:3. You shall tread down the wicked. Come, set your feet on the necks of these kings. See Psa 147:6; Rom 16:20.
II.He takes cognizance of the way of his people and has delight in it (Isa 26:7):
The way of the just is evenness (so it may be read): it is their endeavour and constant care to walk with God in an even steady course of obedience and holy conversation. My foot stands in an even place, goes in an even path, Psa 26:12. And it is their happiness that God makes their way plain and easy before them: Thou, most upright, dost level (or make even) the path of the just, by preventing or removing those things that would be stumbling-blocks to them, so that nothing shall offend them, Psa 119:165. God weighs it (so we read it); he considers it, and will give them grace sufficient for them, to help them over all the difficulties they may meet with in their way. Thus with the upright God will show himself upright.
III.It is our duty, and will be our comfort, to wait for God, and to keep up holy desires towards him in the darkest and most discouraging times, Isa 26:8, Isa 26:9. This has always been the practice of God's people, even when God has frowned upon them,
1.To keep up a constant dependence upon him: "In the way of thy judgments we have still waited for thee; when thou hast corrected us we have looked to no other hand than thine to relieve us," as the servant looks only to the hand of his master, till he have mercy upon him, Psa 123:2. We cannot appeal from God's justice but to his mercy. If God's judgments continue long, if it be a road of judgments (so the word signifies), yet we must not be weary but continue waiting.
2.To send up holy desires towards him. Our troubles, how pressing soever, must never put us out of conceit with our religion, nor turn us away from God; but still the desire of our soul must be to his name and to the remembrance of him; and in the night, the darkest longest night of affliction, with our souls must we desire him. (1.) Our great concern must be for God's name, and our earnest desire must be that his name may be glorified, whatever becomes of us and our names. This is that which we must wait for, and pray for. "Father, glorify thy name, and we are satisfied." (2.) Our great comfort must be in the remembrance of that name, of all that whereby God has made himself known. The remembrance of God must be our great support and pleasure; and, though sometimes we be unmindful of him, yet still our desire must be towards the remembrance of him and we must take pains with our own hearts to have him always in mind. (3.) Our desires towards God must be inward, fervent, and sincere. With our soul we must desire him, with our soul we must pant after him (Psa 42:1), and with our spirits within us, with the innermost thought and the closest application of mind, we must seek him. We make nothing of our religion, whatever our profession be, if we do not make heart-work of it. (4.) Even in the darkest night of affliction our desires must be towards God, as our sun and shield; for, however God is pleased to deal with us, we must never think the worse of him, nor cool in our love to him. (5.) If our desires be indeed towards God,. we must give evidence that they are so by seeking him, and seeking him early, as those that desire to find him, and dread the thoughts of missing him. Those that would seek God and find him must seek betimes, and seek him earnestly. Though we come ever so early, we shall find him ready to receive us.
IV.It is God's gracious design, in sending abroad his judgments, thereby to bring men to seek him and serve him:
When thy judgments are upon the earth, laying all waste, then we have reason to expect that not only God's professing people, but even the inhabitants of the world, will learn righteousness, will have their mistakes rectified and their lives reformed, will be brought to acknowledge God's righteousness in punishing them, will repent of their own unrighteousness in offending God, and so be brought to walk in right paths. They will do this; that is, judgments are designed to bring them to this, they have a natural tendency to produce this effect, and, though many continue obstinate, yet some even of the inhabitants of the world will profit by this discipline, and will learn righteousness; surely they will; they are strangely stupid if they do not. Note, The intention of afflictions is to teach us righteousness; and blessed is the man whom God chastens, and thus teaches, Psa 94:12. Discite justitiam, moniti, et non temnere divos - Let this rebuke teach you to cultivate righteousness, and cease from despising the gods. - Virgil.
V.Those are wicked indeed that will not be wrought upon by the favourable methods God takes to subdue and reform them; and it is necessary that God should deal with them in a severe way by his judgments, which shall prevail to humble those that would not otherwise be humbled. Observe,
1.How sinners walk contrary to God, and refuse to comply with the means used for their reformation and to answer the intentions of them, Isa 26:10.
(1.)Favour is shown to them. They receive many mercies from God; he causes his sun to shine and his rain to fall upon them, nay, he prospers them, and into their hands he brings plentifully; they escape many of the strokes of God's judgments, which others less wicked than they have been cut off by; in some particular instances they seem to be remarkably favoured above their neighbours, and the design of all this is that they may be won upon to love and serve that God who thus favours them; and yet it is all in vain: They will not learn righteousness, will not be led to repentance by the goodness of God, and therefore it is requisite that God should send his judgments into the earth, to reckon with men for abused mercies.
(2.)They live in a land of uprightness, where religion is professed and is in reputation, where the word of God is preached, and where they have many good examples set them, - in a land of evenness, where there are not so many stumbling-blocks as in other places, - in a land of correction, where vice and profaneness are discountenanced and punished; yet there they will deal unjustly, and go on frowardly in their evil ways. Those that do wickedly deal unjustly both with God and man, as well as with their own souls; and those that will not be reclaimed by the justice of the nation may expect the judgments of God upon them. Nor can those expect a place hereafter in the land of blessedness who now conform not to the laws and usages, nor improve the privileges and advantages, of the land of uprightness; and why do they not? It is because they will not behold the majesty of the Lord, will not believe, will not consider, what a God of terrible majesty he is whose laws and justice they persist in the contempt of. God's majesty appears in all the dispensations of his providence; but they regard it not, and therefore study not to answer the ends of those dispensations. Even when we receive of the mercy of the Lord we must still behold the majesty of the Lord and his goodness.
(3.)God lifts up his hand to give them warning, that they may, by repentance and prayer, make their peace with him; but they take no notice of it, are not aware that God is angry with them, or coming forth against them: They will not see, and none so blind as those who will not see, who shut their eyes against the clearest conviction of guilt and wrath, who ascribe that to chance, or common fate, which is manifestly a divine rebuke, who regard not the threatening symptoms of their own ruin, but cry Peace to themselves, when the righteous God is waging war with them.
2.How God will at length be too hard for them; for, when he judges, he will overcome: They will not see, but they shall see, shall be made to see, whether they will or no, that God is angry with them. Atheists, scorners, and the secure, will shortly feel what now they will not believe, that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. They will not see the evil of sin, and particularly the sin of hating and persecuting the people of God; but they shall see, by the tokens of God's displeasure against them for it and the deliverances in which God will plead his people's cause, that what is done against them he takes as done against himself and will reckon for it accordingly. They shall see that they have done God's people a great deal of wrong, and therefore shall be ashamed of their enmity and envy towards them, and their ill usage of such as deserved better treatment. Note, Those that bear ill-will to God's people have reason to be ashamed of it, so absurd and unreasonable is it; and, sooner or later, they shall be ashamed of it, and the remembrance of it shall fill them with confusion. Some read it, They shall see and be confounded for the zeal of the people, by the zeal God will show for his people; when they shall be made to know how jealous God is for the honour and welfare of his people they shall be confounded to think that they might have been of that people and would not. Their doom therefore is that, since they slighted the happiness of God's friends, the fire of his enemies shall devour them, that is, the fire which is prepared for his enemies and with which they shall be devoured, the fire designed for the devil and his angels. Note, Those that are enemies to God's people, and envy them, God looks upon as his enemies, and will deal with them accordingly.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
4 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
I know the glittering sword, and the blade made drunk in heaven, bidden to slay, to bring to nothing, to make childless and to spare neither flesh nor marrow nor bones. I know him who, though free from passion, meets us like a bear robbed of her cubs, like a leopard in the way of the Assyrians, not only those of that day, but if anyone now is an Assyrian in wickedness. Nor is it possible to escape the might and speed of his wrath when he watches over our impieties, and his jealousy, which knows to devour his adversaries, pursues his enemies to the death. I know the emptying, the making void, the making waste, the melting of the heart and knocking of the knees together;7 such are the punishments of the ungodly.
(Verse 11) Lord, let your hand be exalted, and let them not see: let them see, and let the jealousy of the people be confused, and let the fire devour your enemies. LXX: Lord, your arm is exalted, and they did not know, but those who know will be confounded: jealousy will seize the unlearned people, and now the fire will consume the adversaries. This which was said above, 'and he shall not see the glory of the Lord,' can be understood thus: You ask, O Prophet, that I have no mercy on the wicked, lest if I have mercy on them, they begin to not know righteousness, being the one who has acted unjustly in the land of the saints; I answer you, therefore, will he not see the glory of the Lord? Therefore, should not he see my triumphs, who owes it to me more to see me reigning, so that he may know how much good he lacks? And this must be read more urgently in the voice of one questioning. To which the Prophet responded: Lord, let your hand be exalted, and let it be stretched out to strike, so that the wicked may not see you, and may not even have the light of your glory to repent. To which the Lord responded: Let them see even more and be confounded, whether out of envy of the people or zeal for the people, and let the fire devour and consume your adversaries, that is, the enemies of your people, the saints. But the fire of repentance, which torments their hearts, because they have lost such a Lord. This can also be understood of the Jews, who did not know Christ, the arm of the Lord, and when they see him and recognize him, whom they had crucified, they will be confounded. Then the unlearned people and those ignorant of the law of God will be stirred up by the goads of zeal, when they see that the nations have taken their place, and they will be consumed by the fire of repentance, or the pain of punishment, when they hear that which is written: Go into eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. XXV, 41).
Note that there are two kinds of zeal, one full of love, the other full of hatred. The former is indicated in the words, “The zeal of your house has devoured me”; the latter, in the words, “Zeal has taken hold of the senseless people, and now fire shall devour your opponents.”
A fire went before the Lord’s coming when the hearts of the unfaithful seethed at the preaching of the prophets so that they were fired with the heat of anger, and they debated the murder of those preachers. So this is the fire that shall go before him, but it devoured instead those who stirred it. As the prophet Isaiah said, “And now fire will devour your enemies.” Next comes, “And shall burn his enemies round about.” “Shall burn,” as we have stated, refers to the indignation and sudden mental heat that the enemies of the holy church experienced at that time. “Round about” we must interpret as “on all sides,” for as the preachers were few, a countless crowd of enemies hemmed them in.
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Summary
Isaiah 26:11 powerfully articulates a divine paradox: the Lord's active hand of judgment, initially unseen by the wicked, will inevitably be revealed, leading to their profound shame and ultimate destruction. This verse highlights the spiritual blindness of God's adversaries, their hostile envy toward His people, and the certainty of divine retribution. It serves as a profound affirmation of God's unwavering sovereignty and the ultimate vindication of His righteous character and His faithful covenant people.
Context
Literary Context
Isaiah 26:11 is intricately woven into a majestic song of praise and trust (Isaiah 26:1-19), which itself forms a significant part of the "Little Apocalypse" (Isaiah 24-27). This broader section of Isaiah shifts from pronouncements of universal judgment to a vision of God's ultimate kingdom and the restoration of His people. The song in chapter 26 celebrates the security and peace of the righteous city established by God, contrasting it sharply with the downfall of the wicked. Within this song, verse 11 stands as a poignant lament and a confident declaration addressed directly to Yahweh. It pivots from the general assurance of God's just rule to a specific indictment of those who oppose Him, emphasizing the inevitability of divine intervention and the dramatic reversal of fortunes between the righteous and the unrighteous.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecies of Isaiah were delivered during a period of immense geopolitical upheaval for the kingdom of Judah, caught between the rising imperial powers of Assyria and later Babylon. The historical backdrop often involved Judah's temptation to form political alliances rather than trusting in God, alongside pervasive societal issues like idolatry, injustice, and spiritual apathy. The imagery of God's "lifted hand" was a widely recognized idiom in the ancient Near East, signifying a powerful deity's decisive action, whether in judgment or deliverance. For an audience familiar with such concepts, this phrase would immediately convey divine authority and irresistible power. The "envy" (H7068) directed at "the people" (H5971), referring to Israel, reflects the historical reality of animosity and opposition from surrounding nations, often fueled by jealousy over Israel's unique covenant relationship with Yahweh and the blessings bestowed upon them as His chosen nation.
Key Themes
This verse profoundly contributes to several core themes prevalent throughout Isaiah and the prophetic corpus. It underscores the theme of Divine Sovereignty and Justice, asserting that God's ultimate plan will unquestionably prevail, and His perfect justice will be executed, regardless of human perception or timing. The initial inability of the wicked to "see" (H2372) God's active hand powerfully illustrates the theme of Spiritual Blindness and Rebellion, a recurring motif for those who stubbornly reject divine truth and resist God's authority, as vividly portrayed in passages like Isaiah 6:9-10. However, this blindness is temporary, leading inevitably to the theme of Inevitable Revelation and Shame, where God's adversaries are compelled to acknowledge His power and the vindication of His people, a truth echoed in the New Testament's declaration that every knee will bow. Finally, the vivid imagery of "the fire of thine enemies" highlights the Consuming Consequences of Enmity against God and His People, depicting the destructive nature of divine wrath upon those who oppose His righteous rule, a judgment often described with fiery metaphors throughout the Old Testament, such as in DeDeuteronomy 4:24.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term (H3068) refers to the sacred covenant name of God, Yahweh, emphasizing His self-existence, eternal nature, and His unique, faithful relationship with Israel. Its presence here grounds the entire declaration in the unchangeable character of the sovereign God, signifying that the "hand" being lifted is not merely an impersonal force but the deliberate, personal action of the one true God who is just in His judgments and faithful to His promises.
While literally meaning "hand" (H3027), this word functions as a potent metonymy, representing God's power, authority, action, and intervention. When God's hand is described as "lifted up" (H7311), it denotes a decisive, often public, act of judgment or deliverance. In this context, it points to God's active, undeniable intervention in human affairs, specifically against those who oppose Him and His people, demonstrating His irresistible might.
This verb (H2372) signifies more than simple physical sight; it encompasses gazing, perceiving, contemplating, or even having a prophetic vision. The initial phrase "will not see" implies a willful spiritual blindness or an inability to discern God's work, often stemming from stubbornness, pride, or rebellion. The subsequent "shall see" indicates a forced, undeniable recognition of God's power and justice, leading to profound shame and inescapable acknowledgment.
Verse Breakdown
"LORD, [when] thy hand is lifted up, they will not see:"
This opening clause is a direct address to Yahweh, acknowledging His powerful and active intervention ("thy hand is lifted up"). It immediately highlights the spiritual blindness of "they," referring to the wicked or God's enemies, who, despite God's clear actions, fail to perceive or acknowledge His sovereign work and the impending judgment, remaining oblivious to divine reality.
"[but] they shall see, and be ashamed for [their] envy at the people;"
This marks a dramatic and certain reversal. Despite their initial spiritual insensitivity, a future time will come when these same adversaries "shall see." This "seeing" is not voluntary but a compelled recognition of God's power and the ultimate vindication of His chosen people. Their subsequent "shame" (H954) arises from the public exposure of their hostile "envy" (H7068) and animosity towards Israel ("the people"), a deep-seated jealousy rooted in their rejection of God's unique covenant relationship with His nation.
"yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them."
This concluding clause vividly portrays the ultimate, consuming consequence of their persistent opposition. The "fire" (H784) here is a powerful and terrifying symbol of God's consuming wrath and righteous judgment. It is described as "the fire of thine enemies," implying a form of poetic justice where the very hostility and destructive desires they harbored against God and His people will, in a profound sense, turn back upon them, consuming them (H398) in divine retribution.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 26:11 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound message. Anthropomorphism is clearly evident in the phrase "thy hand is lifted up," which attributes a human physical characteristic (a hand) to God to powerfully describe His decisive, authoritative action and intervention. The verse also utilizes a stark Contrast between "they will not see" and "they shall see," emphasizing the dramatic shift from willful ignorance and spiritual blindness to an unavoidable, compelled recognition of divine truth. This contrast underscores the absolute certainty of God's ultimate revelation and judgment. Metonymy is present in "hand" (H3027) representing God's active power and intervention, and in "fire" (H784) symbolizing divine judgment and consuming wrath. Furthermore, the phrase "the fire of thine enemies shall devour them" functions as a striking example of Poetic Justice, where the very nature of the adversaries' opposition—their "envy" and enmity—becomes the instrument of their own downfall, consumed by a judgment that mirrors their own destructive desires.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 26:11 stands as a profound theological declaration concerning the certainty of divine justice and the ultimate vindication of God's people. It reveals that while God's work may be initially hidden or misunderstood by those who oppose Him, His sovereign hand is always actively at work, leading inevitably to a revelation where all will be compelled to acknowledge His power and righteous judgment. This passage offers deep assurance to believers that their suffering and the apparent triumph of the wicked are temporary and finite. God will ultimately expose and judge all unrighteousness, bringing profound shame upon those who have envied and oppressed His chosen ones. It serves as a foundational declaration of God's unwavering commitment to justice, His absolute sovereignty, and His ultimate triumph over all forms of rebellion and spiritual blindness.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 26:11 offers both a sobering warning and a profound source of comfort for contemporary believers. For those who may be caught in spiritual blindness, willful ignorance of God's ways, or a hardened heart, this verse serves as a stark reminder that such a state is not eternal. There will come a day when all will be forced to "see" and acknowledge the Lord's absolute sovereignty, often to their profound shame. This truth should compel us to humbly examine our own hearts: are we truly discerning God's active hand at work in the world, in our personal lives, and in the unfolding narrative of His people, or are we blinded by our own pride, selfish desires, or even subtle forms of envy? For believers, this verse is an incredibly powerful source of encouragement. Even when God's justice seems delayed, or when His people face intense opposition, persecution, and envy, we are assured that His hand is indeed lifted up, actively working for our ultimate vindication and the establishment of His righteous kingdom. We are called to trust implicitly in His perfect timing and His righteous judgment, knowing with certainty that He will ultimately bring all hidden things to light and consume all that opposes His divine will. This profound truth should strengthen our faith, deepen our perseverance through trials, and inspire us to live righteously, confidently awaiting God's ultimate triumph.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "thy hand is lifted up" signify in this verse?
The phrase "thy hand is lifted up" (from H7311, rûwm, meaning "to be high" or "lift up," and H3027, yâd, meaning "hand") is a powerful biblical idiom signifying God's active, decisive, and often public intervention. In the context of Isaiah 26:11, it specifically refers to God's powerful action of judgment against the wicked. It implies that God is not passive or indifferent but is actively engaged in executing His righteous will, even if His actions are not immediately perceived or acknowledged by those who refuse to see Him. This imagery is consistent with other passages where God's hand represents His mighty power in creation, deliverance, or judgment, such as when He delivered Israel from Egypt with a "strong hand" (Exodus 13:3).
Why will "they not see" initially, but then "they shall see"?
The initial "they will not see" (H2372, châzâh, meaning "to gaze at," "perceive," or "have a vision") refers to the spiritual blindness and willful ignorance of the wicked or God's enemies. This is not a physical inability to see, but a profound spiritual insensitivity and a deliberate refusal to acknowledge God's sovereign work and impending judgment, often rooted in pride, rebellion, or self-deception. However, the subsequent "they shall see" indicates an inevitable and forced recognition. This "seeing" will occur when God's judgment is fully manifested, leaving no room for denial or escape. It is a moment of inescapable truth, leading to their shame and the undeniable vindication of God's righteous character and His covenant people. This dynamic is similar to how the Apostle Paul describes unbelievers whose minds are "blinded by the god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4), yet eventually, "every knee will bow" (Philippians 2:10) before Christ.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 26:11 finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus, particularly in His role as the righteous judge and the ultimate vindicator of His people. The "lifted hand" of the Lord, signifying divine judgment and authoritative action, is most fully realized both in the cross, where God's righteous wrath against sin was poured out upon His Son, and in the eschatological judgment that Jesus will execute at His glorious second coming. Those who "will not see" God's hand are those who, in their spiritual blindness and hardened hearts, rejected Christ during His earthly ministry, failing to recognize Him as the Son of God and the promised Messiah (John 1:10-11). Their "envy at the people" foreshadows the world's ongoing hostility, persecution, and spiritual opposition directed toward Christ's followers, who now constitute the new "people" of God, the Church (1 Peter 2:9). However, the profound promise that "they shall see, and be ashamed" points definitively to the day when "every eye will see Him" (Revelation 1:7), and those who rejected Him will be utterly ashamed and confounded, as every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). The "fire of thine enemies" ultimately devouring them speaks to the eternal judgment awaiting all who persist in their rebellion against God and His Anointed One, a judgment often depicted in the New Testament with vivid imagery of consuming, unquenchable fire (Matthew 25:41). Thus, Isaiah 26:11 powerfully anticipates the ultimate triumph of Christ and the complete, glorious vindication of His redeemed people.