Read Verse Keyword Strong's
Prev

Isaiah 63:15

Next

¶ 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?

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}?

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,

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.

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

Context

Isaiah 63:15 is part of a profound prayer or lament (Isaiah 63:7–64:12) uttered by the prophet on behalf of the distressed people of Israel. This section follows a powerful depiction of God's past deliverance and vengeance against His enemies. The people, facing hardship and feeling abandoned, recall God's mighty acts in history, particularly His leading of Israel through the wilderness (Isaiah 63:11-14). In this verse, the prophet cries out to God, appealing to His divine attributes and questioning why His former active presence and compassion seem to be withheld from His suffering people.

Key Themes

  • Desperate Appeal to God's Majesty: The opening phrase, "Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory," is a fervent plea for God, who dwells in transcendent majesty, to acknowledge the plight of His people. It emphasizes His supreme authority and divine nature.
  • Questioning Divine Inaction: The rhetorical questions, "where is thy zeal and thy strength... are they restrained?" express the deep anguish and confusion of a people who feel God's protective and powerful hand is no longer active on their behalf. It is not a doubt in God's existence, but a longing for His active intervention and a questioning of His apparent withdrawal.
  • Plea for God's Profound Compassion: "The sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me" is a powerful, anthropomorphic appeal for God's deepest, most visceral compassion. It highlights the people's yearning for God to remember His covenant love and tender care, which they believe He has momentarily withheld.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory": This phrase underscores God's dwelling place as one of ultimate purity, majesty, and unapproachable splendor. It sets the stage for a plea to a truly transcendent God.
  • "Zeal" (Hebrew: qin'ah): In this context, God's "zeal" refers to His passionate commitment to His covenant and His people, often associated with His jealousy for His own honor and His intolerance of anything that would harm His relationship with Israel or His divine reputation.
  • "Sounding of thy bowels": This vivid anthropomorphism refers to the deepest internal organs (bowels, intestines) as the seat of profound emotion, particularly tender compassion or pity. It signifies a gut-level, profound empathy and caring, much like a mother's concern for her child.
  • "Mercies" (Hebrew: rachamim): This rich Hebrew word, often translated as compassion or pity, is derived from the root rechem, meaning "womb." It conveys a deep, nurturing, and tender love, akin to a mother's love for her child. This deep, intrinsic compassion is also echoed in Psalm 103:13, which compares God's compassion to that of a father for his children.

Practical Application

Isaiah 63:15 offers profound comfort and insight for believers today. It legitimizes the human experience of feeling distant from God or questioning His apparent inactivity in times of distress. This verse teaches us that:

  • It is permissible to express our deepest longings, fears, and even our questions to God in prayer, appealing to His known character and attributes.
  • We can remind God (and ourselves) of His past faithfulness and His unchanging nature, even when circumstances suggest otherwise (Malachi 3:6).
  • Our appeal should be rooted in God's holiness, glory, zeal, strength, and especially His profound, womb-like mercies.
  • This lament ultimately expresses hope and faith that God's compassion is not truly restrained, but that He will ultimately act according to His loving character.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 31:20 (6 votes)

    [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 (6 votes)

    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 (5 votes)

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

  • Hosea 11:8 (5 votes)

    ¶ 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 (5 votes)

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

  • Psalms 33:14 (4 votes)

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

  • 1 John 3:17 (3 votes)

    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?