Isaiah 52

Chapter Overview

What happens in Isaiah 52

God calls Jerusalem to wake up, put on beautiful clothes, and shake off the dust of captivity. The famous cry rings out: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" The chapter ends by introducing the Suffering Servant, whose appearance will be so marred that people are shocked, yet he will cleanse many nations.

Scripture

Wake Up, Jerusalem!

Study note

After describing Jerusalem's suffering, God now tells her to wake up and get dressed in her finest clothes. The captivity is ending. No more will unclean foreigners enter the holy city. Jerusalem must shake the dust off herself and remove the chains from her neck. God reminds them that they were taken to Egypt and then oppressed by Assyria for no just reason. Their captors mock God's name all day long. But the day is coming when God's people will know his name and recognize that it is truly God who speaks to them.

1 Wake up, wake up, Zion! Put on your strength like clothing! Dress yourself in your most beautiful clothing, Jerusalem, the holy city! From this day forward, no ungodly or impure person will ever walk through your gates again. Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

2 Shake the dust off yourself! Stand up tall and sit on your throne, Jerusalem! Break free from the chains wrapped around your neck, captive daughter of Zion! Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

3 For this is what the Lord says: "You were sold away for nothing, and you will be bought back without spending a dime." For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

4 Here is what the Lord God says: "A long time ago, my people went to live in Egypt. Later, Assyria crushed them for no reason at all." For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

5 "And now what is happening?" asks the Lord. "My people have been dragged away for nothing. Their rulers howl in despair," the Lord says, "and my name is constantly mocked and disrespected all day long." Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.

6 "Because of this, my people will come to know my name. When that day arrives, they will know that it was me saying, 'Here I am.'" Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.

How Beautiful Are the Feet of the Messenger

Study note

Verse 7 is one of the most beloved verses in Isaiah. A messenger runs across the mountains to bring the good news that God reigns and Jerusalem is saved. The watchmen on the city walls see it happening and burst into joyful singing. The 'waste places' or ruins of Jerusalem are called to join the celebration. God has bared his holy arm for all nations to see. The people are told to leave Babylon and be pure, especially those who carry the sacred vessels of the Lord's temple. Unlike the hasty escape from Egypt, this departure will be orderly, because God himself will go ahead of them and guard them from behind.

7 What a beautiful sight on the mountains! Look at the feet of the messenger who races in with wonderful news! He announces that peace has come. He brings the best possible news. He says that rescue is here. He tells Zion, "Your God is King!" How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

8 Listen! Your watchmen are raising their voices and cheering together at the top of their lungs. They can see it clearly with their own eyes — the Lord is coming back to Zion! Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.

9 Burst into joyful singing together, you ruins of Jerusalem! The Lord has comforted his people. He has bought Jerusalem back. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

10 The Lord has bared his holy arm for every nation to see. Every corner of the earth will witness the salvation our God brings. The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

11 Get out, get out! Leave that place! Do not touch anything unclean. Walk out from among them and be pure, you who carry the sacred vessels of the Lord. Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.

12 But you will not need to leave in a panic or escape on the run. The Lord himself will go ahead of you, and the God of Israel will guard your back. For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rearward.

The Suffering Servant Introduced

Study note

These final three verses begin the most important passage in all of Isaiah's prophecy. They serve as the introduction to the famous Suffering Servant song that continues through chapter 53. God says his Servant will act wisely and be lifted up to the highest place. But many people will be shocked by his appearance, because his face and body will be so terribly disfigured that he barely looks human. Yet this same Servant will sprinkle many nations, a priestly act of purification. Kings will be left speechless because they will see and understand something that was never told to them before. Christians understand this as a prophecy of Jesus Christ.

13 Look at my Servant. He will act with great wisdom. He will be raised up, lifted high, and given the highest place of honor. Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

14 Many people were horrified when they saw him. He was so disfigured he barely looked human. His appearance was so damaged he hardly looked like a person at all. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

15 But he will make many nations stop and stare. Kings will be left speechless because of him. They will witness things no one ever described to them and grasp truths they had never heard before. So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

Key Themes

Themes in Isaiah 52

Jerusalem called to awake and put on her gloryThe beauty of those who bring good newsGod's arm revealed before all nationsThe suffering Servant introduced: marred beyond recognition

Prophetic Connections

How this chapter points to Christ

Isaiah 52:7 Romans 10:15

Paul quotes 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news' to emphasize the urgency of sending gospel preachers to the nations.

Isaiah 52:11 2 Corinthians 6:17

Paul quotes the call to 'come out and be separate' and 'touch no unclean thing,' applying the departure from Babylon to the spiritual separation Christians must maintain from the world's corruption.

Isaiah 52:15 Romans 15:21

Paul quotes this verse about nations seeing what they were not told and understanding what they had not heard, applying it to his mission of preaching Christ where he has not been named.

Apply This Today

Living Isaiah 52

The feet of those who bring good news are called beautiful. Sharing the gospel of peace is one of the most beautiful acts a person can perform. The chapter's closing verses introduce the most important prophecy in the Old Testament: a Servant so disfigured that he barely looks human will accomplish the purification of many nations. The path to glory runs through suffering.

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