43:25 43:25

Isaiah 43:26

43:27 43:27

Bible Versions

Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.
Put me in remembrance {H2142}: let us plead {H8199} together {H3162}: declare {H5608} thou, that thou mayest be justified {H6663}.
Remind me when we're in court together - tell your side, make the case that you are right.
Remind Me, let us argue the matter together. State your case, so that you may be vindicated.
Put me in remembrance; let us plead together: set thou forth thy cause, that thou mayest be justified.

Isaiah 43:26 (KJV) presents a profound invitation from God to His people, Israel, in a manner reminiscent of a divine courtroom. It's a call for open dialogue and accountability, ultimately leading to God's gracious offer of justification. This verse encapsulates God's desire for His people to engage with Him, acknowledge their past, and receive His declaration of righteousness.

Context of Isaiah 43:26

The book of Isaiah, particularly chapters 40-55, focuses on the comfort and restoration of Israel after their impending exile in Babylon. God, through the prophet Isaiah, repeatedly asserts His unique sovereignty, contrasting Himself with the impotent idols worshipped by other nations. In chapter 43, God reminds Israel that He is their Creator and Redeemer, emphasizing His steadfast love despite their unfaithfulness. Leading up to verse 26, God recounts Israel's weariness in serving Him and their numerous transgressions (Isaiah 43:22-24). Yet, immediately before our verse, He declares His intention to blot out their transgressions for His own sake, not for theirs. Verse 26 then serves as a divine challenge and invitation, setting the stage for a covenantal interaction where Israel is to present its case.

Key Themes

  • Divine Invitation to Dialogue: God, the sovereign Lord, invites His people to "put Him in remembrance" and "plead together." This isn't because God forgets, but to encourage His people to actively engage with His promises and their own history, bringing their case before Him in prayer and petition. It highlights God's accessibility and desire for relationship.
  • Justification by God's Grace: The ultimate purpose of this divine interaction is for Israel to "be justified." This justification is not based on their own merit or ability to prove their innocence, as their past is clearly one of sin. Instead, it points to God's gracious act of declaring them righteous, foreshadowing the concept of justification by faith that is more fully revealed in the New Testament.
  • Accountability and Confession: Implicit in the call to "declare thou" is the need for Israel to acknowledge their sin and God's righteousness. It's a call to honest self-assessment before the holy God, understanding that true justification begins with recognizing one's need for it.
  • Covenantal Pleading: The phrase "let us plead together" evokes a legal setting within the framework of God's covenant with Israel. God invites them to present their arguments, knowing full well that their only hope for vindication lies in His mercy and faithfulness to His own covenant promises.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Put me in remembrance" (Hebrew: hazkireni - הַזְכִּירֵנִי): This imperative form suggests not that God has forgotten, but rather an invitation for His people to bring their concerns, His promises, and their own condition before Him. It can imply a legal presentation of facts or a calling upon past covenants.
  • "Plead together" (Hebrew: nishpeta - נִשָּׁפְטָה): This reflexive form of the verb "to judge" or "to contend" implies a mutual engagement in a judicial process. It's an invitation for a legal dispute or debate, where both parties present their case.
  • "Justified" (Hebrew: titzdak - תִּצְדָּק): Derived from the root tsadaq, meaning "to be righteous," "to be just," or "to be vindicated." In this context, it means to be declared innocent or righteous in the eyes of God, despite past transgressions. This is a divine act, not a human achievement.

Practical Application

Isaiah 43:26 offers timeless lessons for believers today. It encourages us to approach God with boldness and honesty, bringing our prayers, concerns, and even our failures before Him. We are invited to "put Him in remembrance" of His promises, not because He forgets, but because it strengthens our faith and deepens our reliance on Him. This verse powerfully reminds us that our justification comes solely from God's grace, made possible through Christ's atoning work, and received through faith. It calls us to a posture of humility and confession, knowing that when we acknowledge our sins, God is faithful to forgive and declare us righteous. This divine invitation to confess our sins and plead our case before Him is a cornerstone of our relationship with a merciful and just God.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Isaiah 1:18

    Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

  • Isaiah 43:9

    Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, [It is] truth.

  • Romans 8:33

    Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? [It is] God that justifieth.

  • Psalms 141:2

    Let my prayer be set forth before thee [as] incense; [and] the lifting up of my hands [as] the evening sacrifice.

  • Jeremiah 2:21

    Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

  • Jeremiah 2:35

    Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.

  • Romans 10:3

    For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
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