Isaiah 63:15

KJV

¶ Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where [is] thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?

KJV (with Strong's)

Look down {H5027} from heaven {H8064}, and behold {H7200} from the habitation {H2073} of thy holiness {H6944} and of thy glory {H8597}: where is thy zeal {H7068} and thy strength {H1369}, the sounding {H1995} of thy bowels {H4578} and of thy mercies {H7356} toward me? are they restrained {H662}?

Complete Jewish Bible

Look down from heaven; and see from your holy, glorious dwelling. Where are your zeal and your mighty deeds, your inner concern and compassion? Don't hold back,

Berean Standard Bible

Look down from heaven and see, from Your holy and glorious habitation. Where are Your zeal and might? Your yearning and compassion for me are restrained.

American Standard Version

Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where are thy zeal and thy mighty acts? the yearning of thy heart and thy compassions are restrained toward me.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Isaiah 63:15 is a profound and passionate lament from the prophet, speaking on behalf of a distressed Israel, pleading with God to intervene from His glorious heavenly dwelling. It expresses a deep anguish and bewilderment over the apparent absence of God's characteristic zeal, strength, and profound compassion toward His covenant people. The verse serves as a desperate appeal to God's unchanging character and past acts of deliverance, encapsulating the longing of a suffering community for a renewed manifestation of divine mercy and active presence in their midst.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Isaiah 63:15 is centrally located within a significant communal prayer of lament and confession that extends from [Isaiah 63:7](/isaiah/63-7 "Isaiah 63:7-14 - Remembering God's Past Mercies") through [Isaiah 64:12](/isaiah/64-12 "Isaiah 64:12 - A Plea for God's Return"). This section immediately follows a powerful historical recounting of God's gracious acts of salvation for Israel, particularly His leading them through the wilderness and His triumph over their enemies, as detailed in [Isaiah 63:7-14](/isaiah/63-7-14 "God's Steadfast Love and Redemption"). The prophet, acting as a representative voice for a suffering and exiled people, starkly contrasts God's glorious past interventions with their present desolation and perceived abandonment. This contrast sets a poignant stage for the direct, heartfelt appeal to God found in verse 15, transitioning from a remembrance of past mercies to a desperate plea for renewed divine presence and action.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The broader context of Isaiah chapters 40-66 addresses the period of Israel's Babylonian exile and the subsequent return. The people have endured immense suffering, including the destruction of Jerusalem and their beloved Temple, leading to a profound crisis of faith and identity. They feel forgotten by God, despite His enduring covenant promises. Culturally, the lament in this verse draws upon a deep-seated Israelite understanding of God's dwelling in heaven, His inherent holiness, and His majestic glory, concepts deeply embedded in their worship and theological framework. The communal anguish expressed here reflects the experience of a people who, having faced divine judgment for their unfaithfulness, now yearn for the restoration of God's favor and the fulfillment of His promises, echoing similar cries found in national laments such as [Psalm 44](/psalms/44 "Psalm 44 - A National Lament and Plea for Deliverance").

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prevalent throughout the book of Isaiah and the broader prophetic literature. It articulates the theme of **divine lament**, where the prophet, with audacious yet reverent honesty, questions God's apparent inaction in the face of His people's profound suffering. It underscores the tension between **God's transcendent majesty and His immanent care**, appealing to Him as the glorious, holy, and all-powerful God who nonetheless possesses deep, visceral compassion for His creation. The yearning for God's "zeal" and "mercies" highlights the theme of **covenant faithfulness**, serving as a poignant reminder to God of His enduring commitment to Israel despite their unfaithfulness. Furthermore, it touches upon the theme of **divine hiddenness**, where God's presence and power seem to be concealed, prompting a desperate cry for His revelation and intervention, a theological tension eloquently explored in passages like [Isaiah 45:15](/isaiah/45-15 "Isaiah 45:15 - Truly, You Are a God Who Hides Himself").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Habitation (Hebrew, _zᵉbûwl'_):** From H2073, this term denotes a residence or dwelling place. In this context, it refers to God's heavenly abode, emphasizing its nature as a fixed, glorious dwelling from which God observes and acts. The prophet's plea is for God to look down from this exalted, holy dwelling.
* **Zeal (Hebrew, _qinʼâh'_):** From H7068, this term signifies jealousy or envy, frequently used in the context of God's passionate, exclusive, and protective commitment to His covenant people and His own honor. Here, the prophet questions the apparent absence of this fervent divine passion, which should compel God to act decisively on Israel's behalf, lamenting why this characteristic attribute seems to be withheld.
* **Bowels (Hebrew, _mêʻeh'_):** From H4578, this word refers to the intestines or abdomen, used metaphorically as the seat of deep emotion, particularly sympathy, tender affection, or compassion. When combined with "sounding" (H1995, _hâmôwn'_), it creates a vivid anthropomorphism, portraying God's compassion as a visceral, gut-level feeling, akin to a mother's profound empathy for her child. The prophet appeals to this deepest wellspring of divine tenderness, wondering if it has been "restrained."

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory:"** This opening clause is a direct and urgent double imperative, a fervent plea to God who dwells in the highest heavens, a realm of ultimate purity, majesty, and splendor. The repetition emphasizes the prophet's desperate desire for God to actively perceive and acknowledge the dire plight of His people from His transcendent throne. It establishes a tone of reverent desperation, acknowledging God's supreme authority even while questioning His apparent inaction.
* **"where [is] thy zeal and thy strength,"** This rhetorical question expresses the core of the lament. The prophet, speaking for Israel, asks why God's passionate commitment (zeal) to His covenant and His mighty power (strength) seem to be absent or unmanifested in their current suffering. It is not a denial of God's attributes but a bewildered, anguished cry concerning their apparent withdrawal in a time of profound need, highlighting the people's sense of abandonment.
* **"the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?"** This second rhetorical question deepens the emotional appeal. "The sounding of thy bowels" refers to a profound, visceral stirring of compassion, while "thy mercies" (Hebrew _racham_, plural, related to the word for "womb") speaks of a tender, nurturing, mother-like love. The prophet asks if these deepest expressions of God's tender compassion, which should naturally flow toward His people, are being held back or "restrained" (Hebrew _ʼâphaq_). This powerfully conveys the people's feeling of abandonment and their desperate longing for God's tender, active, and unrestrained love.

#### Literary Devices
Isaiah 63:15 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound emotional and theological message. **Apostrophe** is central, as the prophet directly addresses God, speaking to Him as if He were present and listening, even while questioning His apparent absence. This direct address underscores the intensely personal and intimate nature of the lament. **Anthropomorphism** is vividly utilized through phrases like "sounding of thy bowels" and "thy mercies," attributing human-like internal organs and emotions to God. This device makes God's compassion relatable and emphasizes its visceral, profound nature, conveying a depth of feeling that transcends mere intellectual assent. Finally, the verse is structured around a series of **Rhetorical Questions** ("where is thy zeal... are they restrained?"). These questions are not posed out of ignorance but out of anguish and a desperate desire to provoke a divine response, powerfully highlighting the people's confusion, their deep longing for God's intervention, and the manifestation of His known character.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 63:15 profoundly articulates the tension between God's unchanging character and the felt experience of His people. The prophet appeals to God's inherent holiness, glory, zeal, strength, and especially His deep, visceral compassion, reminding Him of His covenantal faithfulness. This lament reflects a profound theological understanding that God's attributes are not static concepts but are meant to be actively engaged with His people. The questioning of whether God's mercies are "restrained" is not a doubt in His existence or power, but rather a desperate plea for His active presence and intervention, rooted in the conviction that God is fundamentally merciful and powerful. It underscores that even in the deepest despair, the believer's hope is firmly anchored in God's character, appealing to His covenant love as the ultimate basis for restoration and deliverance.

* [Psalm 77:7](/psalms/77-7 "Psalm 77:7-9 - Has God Forgotten to Be Gracious?")
* [Lamentations 3:31](/lamentations/3-31 "Lamentations 3:31-32 - The Lord Will Not Cast Off Forever")
* [Hosea 11:8](/hosea/11-8 "Hosea 11:8 - My Heart Is Turned Within Me")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 63:15 offers a powerful and legitimate model for prayer in times of profound distress and perceived divine silence. It grants permission for the honest expression of our deepest fears, confusion, and even our most agonizing questions directly to God. We are invited to bring our raw emotions before Him, appealing to His known character and His past faithfulness, even when our present circumstances seem to contradict them. This verse reminds us that God is not intimidated or offended by our laments; rather, He invites them as an act of profound trust, demonstrating our belief that He is indeed the one who can and will intervene. Our appeals should be rooted in His holiness, His glory, His passionate zeal for His people, His immense strength, and especially His profound, tender mercies. Ultimately, this lament is not an expression of doubt, but of enduring faith—a hopeful cry that God's compassion is not truly restrained, but that He will, in His perfect timing and wisdom, act according to His loving and powerful character.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Isaiah's bold questioning of God's "restrained" mercies resonate with your own experiences of feeling distant from God or questioning His apparent inaction?**
* **In what specific ways can remembering God's past acts of faithfulness in your life or in biblical history strengthen your prayer life during times of waiting or perceived divine silence?**
* **How does understanding God's "zeal" and "bowel mercies" (His deep, visceral compassion) transform your perception of His character and deepen your personal relationship with Him?**

### FAQ
**Is it appropriate to question God's actions or apparent inaction, as the prophet does here?**

Answer: Yes, the Bible, particularly the Psalms and prophetic books, provides numerous examples of individuals and communities expressing lament, confusion, and even questioning God's apparent inaction or withdrawal. Passages like [Psalm 13:1](/psalms/13-1 "Psalm 13:1 - How Long, O Lord?") or [Habakkuk 1:2](/habakkuk/1-2 "Habakkuk 1:2 - How Long, O Lord, Will I Call For Help?") demonstrate that honest, even agonizing, appeals to God are a legitimate and vital part of a healthy faith relationship. Such questions are not born of doubt in God's existence or power, but rather from a deep longing for His intervention and a wrestling with the tension between His known character and present circumstances. They are an act of faith, bringing our raw emotions before the One who is sovereign and compassionate, trusting that He hears and cares.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 63:15, with its poignant cry for God to "look down" from heaven and unleash His "zeal" and "mercies," finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The very act of God "looking down from heaven" culminated in the Incarnation, where God did not merely behold from afar but fully entered into human suffering and experience. In Jesus, the "habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory" was made manifest among us ([John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh and Dwelt Among Us")), for He is the "radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of His nature" ([Hebrews 1:3](/hebrews/1-3 "Hebrews 1:3 - The Radiance of God's Glory")). The "zeal" and "strength" of God, which the prophet longed to see, were perfectly displayed in Christ's earthly ministry, His unwavering commitment to His Father's will, and His powerful acts of healing, deliverance, and confrontation of evil. Most profoundly, the "sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies" is unveiled in Jesus' profound compassion for the lost, the sick, and the marginalized. His tears over Jerusalem ([Luke 19:41](/luke/19-41 "Luke 19:41 - Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem")) and His ultimate, self-sacrificial death on the cross ([Romans 5:8](/romans/5-8 "Romans 5:8 - God Shows His Love for Us")) are the supreme demonstration that God's mercies are not restrained but poured out in full, providing the definitive answer to humanity's lament and the way for all to experience His unrestrained love and salvation.

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.

Cross-References

Jeremiah 31:20

[Is] Ephraim my dear son? [is he] a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.

Deuteronomy 26:15

Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Psalms 123:1

¶ A Song of degrees. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

Hosea 11:8

¶ How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? [how] shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? [how] shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

Psalms 80:14

Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;

Psalms 33:14

From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.

1 John 3:17

But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?