Isaiah52
New Living Translation
1Wake up, wake up, O Zion! Clothe yourself with strength. Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem, for unclean and godless people will enter your gates no longer.
2Rise from the dust, O Jerusalem. Sit in a place of honor. Remove the chains of slavery from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
3For this is what the Lord says: “When I sold you into exile, I received no payment. Now I can redeem you without having to pay for you.”
4This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Long ago my people chose to live in Egypt. Now they are oppressed by Assyria.
5What is this?” asks the Lord. “Why are my people enslaved again? Those who rule them shout in exultation. My name is blasphemed all day long.
6But I will reveal my name to my people, and they will come to know its power. Then at last they will recognize that I am the one who speaks to them.”
7How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!
8The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem.
9Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the Lord has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem.
10The Lord has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.
11Get out! Get out and leave your captivity, where everything you touch is unclean. Get out of there and purify yourselves, you who carry home the sacred objects of the Lord.
12You will not leave in a hurry, running for your lives. For the Lord will go ahead of you; yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind.
13See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted.
14But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.
15And he will startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence. For they will see what they had not been told; they will understand what they had not heard about.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Isaiah 52.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The welcome news of Christ's kingdom. (1-12). The humiliation of the Messiah. (13-15).
vv1-12
The gospel proclaims liberty to those bound with fears. Let those weary and heavy laden under the burden of sin, find relief in Christ, shake themselves from the dust of their doubts and fears, and loose themselves from those bands. The price paid by the Redeemer for our salvation, was not silver or gold, or corruptible things, but his own precious blood. Considering the freeness of this salvation, and how hurtful to temporal comfort sins are, we shall more value the redemption which is in Christ. Do we seek victory over every sin, recollecting that the glory of God requires holiness in every follower of Christ? The good news is, that the Lord Jesus reigns. Christ himself brought these tidings first. His ministers proclaim these good tidings: keeping themselves clean from the pollutions of the world, they are beautiful to those to whom they are sent. Zion's watchmen could scarcely discern any thing of God's favour through the dark cloud of their afflictions; but now the cloud is scattered, they shall plainly see the performance. Zion's waste places shall then rejoice; all the world will have the benefit. This is applied to our salvation by Christ. Babylon is no place for Israelites. And it is a call to all in the bondage of sin and Satan, to use the liberty Christ has proclaimed. They were to go with diligent haste, not to lose time nor linger; but they were not to go with distrustful haste. Those in the way of duty, are under God's special protection; and he that believes this, will not hasten for fear.
vv13-15
Here begins that wonderful, minute, and faithful description of the office, character, and glory of the Messiah, which has struck conviction to many of the most hardened unbelievers. Christ is Wisdom itself; in the work of our redemption there appeared the wisdom of God in a mystery. Those that saw him, said, Surely never man looked so miserable: never was sorrow like unto his sorrow. But God highly exalted him. That shall be discovered by the gospel of Christ, which could never be told in any other way. And Christ having once shed his blood for sinners, its power still continues. May all opposers see the wisdom of ceasing from their opposition, and be made partakers of the blood of sprinkling, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost; obeying him, and praising his salvation.
Key Words
עוּר: to wake (literally or figuratively)
לָבַשׁ: properly, wrap around, i.e. (by implication) to put on agarment or clothe (oneself, or another), literally or figuratively
עֹז: strength in various applications (force, security, majesty, praise)
צִיּוֹן: Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of Jerusalem
תִּפְאָרָה: ornament (abstractly or concretely, literally or figuratively)
בֶּגֶד: a covering, i.e. clothing; also treachery or pillage
יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם: Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
קֹדֶשׁ: a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity
עִיר: a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
Cross References
Isaiah 52Paul directly quotes this verse regarding the beautiful feet of those preaching the Gospel.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Paul quotes the command to depart and touch no unclean thing, applying it to Christian separation.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Paul quotes this verse verbatim to justify his pioneer missionary mandate to the Gentiles.
Supported by John Calvin
Peter echoes the theme that believers are redeemed 'without money' (not with corruptible silver or gold).
Supported by Matthew Henry
Nearly identical language of 'beautiful upon the mountains are the feet' announcing deliverance from oppressors.
Supported by JFB
Inversion of 'Awake, awake'; here Zion is commanded to awake, answering her previous plea to God.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Paul cites this verse to show how God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels the poetic language of 'all the ends of the earth' seeing the salvation of God.
Supported by JFB
The call to depart from historical Babylon prefigures the final call to come out of mystical Babylon.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Illustrates the ancient military metaphor of 'making bare the arm' for battle and execution of judgment.
Supported by JFB
The historical return of the physical temple vessels carried back from Babylon by purified Levites.
Supported by JFB
Contrasts the urgent, hurried flight from Egypt with the deliberate, secure departure from Babylon.
Supported by JFB
The prophetic pattern of the 'sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.'
Supported by Matthew Poole
Expands on the Servant's marred, disfigured visage and deep physical humiliation detailed in chapter 53.
Supported by JFB
God gives up His people into their enemies' hands 'for nought' without receiving any price.
Supported by JFB