My Notes on Isaiah 26:1-6

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1 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.

Chapters 13-23 were directed against specific nations and peoples, here in chapters 24-27 the oracles are in-discriminant, here God’s judgment is world wide.

In that day this song will be sung. The day on which God will glorify himself for the sake of his people in the sight of all the nations (Isa 12:1-6). What is being celebrated here is God’s victory over sin and injustice, symbolized by the figure of a bad city, the city of chaos (Isa 24:10), the fortified city, the palace of aliens, (better, castle of the profane, insolent, or irreverent, Isa 25:2), the fortress of Moab (see Isa 25:11-12).  This singing contrasts with the mourning and lack of singing which resulted from God’s judgement (Isa 24:7-9; 25:5); a judgement which brought about a cry because the merriment has ended (Isa 24:12).

We have a strong city. Throughout chapters 24 through 27 an unnamed city has stood in opposition to God (Isa 24:10, 12; 25:2; 26:5; 27:10). Here, in this verse, we have a city associated with God, enjoying his protection: he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks (see Isa 60:18).This city is the New Jerusalem, “reserved for the upright who will be prosperous and protected by the Lord (Isa 4:3; 33:14-16; 60:18; Ps 48:8-9; Ps 46:5-6; Rev 21).

It is possible to interpret both cities as referring to Jerusalem, i.e., Jerusalem before its purification and repentance (see references above), and Jerusalem after it is cleansed and repentant, but this seems forced. Scholarly opinion is not even close to a consensus on identifying the “bad city”; Nineveh, Babylon, Samaria, Sidon, Carthage, and the capital of Moab have all been named. There is in fact no indication in these chapters that the “bad city” is the same city in each of the references above.  Further, as noted above, the judgment which is the primary focus of chapters 24-27 is world wide. It seems best to take the “bad city” references as designating any political entity which is oppressive.

2 Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps faith may enter in.

In order to enter into the city whose walls and bulwarks are salvation (verse 1) one must first be righteous and faithful. These gates have to be opened, which contrasts nicely with the gates of the city of chaos which God had battered into ruins (Isa 24:12).

The thought of this verse matches up nicely with today’s Gospel, especially Matt 7:21~”Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” For Matthew we are called upon to do or fulfill all righteousness (Matt 3:15), obey all that has been commanded (Matt 28:20). We must hear and act upon the words Jesus has given us if we wish to be like a wise man who built his house on rock (Mat 7:24). To establish yourself on the word of Jesus is to establish yourself on the saving will of God who protects those who trust in him as a man in danger from enemies trusts in a mighty fortress set upon a rock height (see verse 4 and its notes below). For those founded upon  such a foundation there will be no collapse (Matt 7:25), the fate of those who fail to trust in God’s will and word (Matt 7:26-27, see verses 5 & 6, with notes, below).

3 Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee.

Thou dost keep him in perfect peace. The text reads literally: Thou dost keep him in peace peace. The Hebrew language possesses only a few superlatives and so, as a consequence, their developed the practice of repeating a word for emphasis (see Gen 2:17~”You shall die die”).

Also, some translations take the second person singular as a personification of the righteous in general and translate Thou dost keep a nation (or people) in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because they (or it) trust in thee.

Whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee. Those who trust in the Lord maintain a firm purpose in relation to God (see the NAB translation of this verse).

4 Trust in the LORD for ever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

Trust in the LORD for ever. An exhortation to trust, followed by motives, including the description of God as an everlasting rock. In order to keep faith and a mind stayed on God (vv 2-3) one must trust in him. The lasting nature of faith, firm purpose and trust is rooted in the unchallengeable God.

And everlasting rock. The Hebrew  צור has the basic sense of a cliff, or precipice. In ancient times cities were built on such heights-often simply termed mountains-to give them added protection. One could say that God is the everlasting rock, the impregnable cliff upon which the strong city of verse one rests.

5 For he has brought low the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city. He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust.

Another motive for the exhortation to trust in God (vs 4). No matter how lofty and high a city (nation, people) might get, they can be no match for the everlasting rock. The people of Babel attempted to build a tower up into heaven, but still God came down to destroy it (Gen 11:1-9). A similar contrast is being drawn here: the everlasting cliff/rock has cast down pretenders. They may dwell in a city on a height but it is no match for the everlasting rock; he will make their mountain less than a mole hill: he lays it low, lays it to the ground, casts it into the dust (see Isa 25:12). Dust! as if their rocky height has been ground into fine powder.

Words such as height and lofty (and their synonyms) are often used in reference to man’s pride and arrogance which God will bring down (see Isa 2:9-22).

6 The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy.”

Pride and arrogance often manifest themselves as oppression of the poor and needy. The words poor and needy here do not necessarily translate into the monetarily indigent. The judgement introduced in chapter 24:1-3 was against all classes of sinners, not just the wealthy or powerful: “Behold, the LORD will lay waste the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the slave, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor. The earth shall be utterly laid waste and utterly despoiled; for the LORD has spoken this word.” A servant can oppress a fellow servant just as easily as a master can, and it is not impossible for a master can be benevolent towards his servants (Matt 18:23-35). Poor and needy here refers to all those who know they need God and who act accordingly.