Isaiah 43:21

21 this people whom I formed for myself, who will recount my praise.

Isaiah 43:21 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 43:21

This people have I formed for myself
The Gentiles, compared to a desert and wilderness, wild and uncultivated, distinguished from Jacob and Israel in the next verse, and the same with the chosen people before mentioned; who being chosen of God, and redeemed by Christ, are formed anew by the Spirit of Christ, made new creatures, regenerated, and transformed by the renewing of their minds, and conformed to the image of Christ, and having him formed in their souls, and principles of grace and holiness wrought in them; in consequence of which they reformed in their lives and conversation, and were also formed into a Gospel church state, and all this done by the Lord for himself, his service, and his glory. The Targum is,

``this people have I prepared for my worship:''

they shall show forth my praise;
with their lips, by ascribing their formation to the power and grace of God, and even their whole salvation to it, and express their thankfulness for the same; and likewise by their actions, by a subjection to the ordinances of the Gospel, and by their lives and conversations being agreeably to it. Joseph Kimchi, as Abendana observes, interprets this people of the beasts of the field, spoken of in the preceding verse, that should honour the Lord, and here said to be formed for himself, and should show forth his praise; and which is taken notice of to aggravate the sins of the people of the Jews, who called not on the Lord as in the following verses; so the ants and conies are called a people not strong, and the locusts a people great and strong, ( Proverbs 30:25 Proverbs 30:26 ) ( Joel 2:2 ) .

Isaiah 43:21 In-Context

19 Look! I'm doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don't you recognize it? I'm making a way in the desert, paths in the wilderness.

20 The beasts of the field, the jackals and ostriches, will honor me, because I have put water in the desert and streams in the wilderness to give water to my people, my chosen ones,

21 this people whom I formed for myself, who will recount my praise.

22 But you didn't call out to me, Jacob; you were tired of me, Israel.

23 You didn't bring me lambs for your entirely burned offering; you didn't honor me with your sacrifices. I didn't make you worship with offerings; I didn't weary you with frankincense.