Isaiah 52

1 Rise thou, Zion, rise thou, be thou clothed in thy strength; Jerusalem, the city of the Holy (One), be thou clothed in the clothes of thy glory; for a man uncircumcised and a man unclean shall no more lay to, that he pass by thee (for the uncircumcised, and the unclean, shall never again enter thy gates).

2 Jerusalem, be thou shaken out of [the] dust; rise thou, (and) sit thou (down); thou daughter of Zion, (thou) prisoner, unbind the bonds of thy neck.

3 For the Lord saith these things, Ye be sold without cause, and ye shall be again-bought without silver. (For the Lord saith these things, Ye were sold for nothing, and ye shall be bought back without any silver.)

4 For the Lord God saith these things, My people in the beginning went down into Egypt, that it should be there an earth-tiller, either a comeling, and Assur falsely challenged it without any cause. (For the Lord God saith these things, In the beginning my people went down to Egypt, so that they could be earth-tillers, or newcomers, there, and the Assyrians oppressed them without any cause.)

5 And now what is to me here? saith the Lord; for my people is taken away without cause; the lords thereof do wickedly, saith the Lord, and my name is blasphemed continually all day (and my name is continually blasphemed all day long).

6 For this thing my people shall know my name in that day, for lo! I myself that spake, am present. (For this thing my people shall know my name on that day, for lo! I am he who spoke, and I am present.)

7 Full fair be the feet of him that telleth, and preacheth peace on hills, of him that telleth good (tidings), of him that preacheth health, and saith, Zion, thy God shall reign. (How beautiful on the mountains, be the feet of him who telleth, and preacheth peace, of him who telleth good news, of him who preacheth deliverance, or salvation, and saith, Zion, thy God reigneth.)

8 The voice of thy beholders; they raised the voice, they shall praise together; for they shall see with eye to eye, when the Lord hath converted Zion. (The voice of thy watchmen; they shall raise up their voices, they shall praise together; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring back Zion/for they shall see with their own eyes, when the Lord shall return to Zion.)

9 The desert(ed), either forsaken, things of Jerusalem, make ye joy, and praise ye together; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath again-bought Jerusalem (he hath rescued Jerusalem).

10 The Lord hath made ready his holy arm in the eyes of all folks, and all the ends of the earth shall see the health of our God. (The Lord hath bared his holy arm before all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the deliverance of our God.)

11 Go ye away, go ye away, go ye out from thence; do not ye touch [the] defouled thing, go ye out from the midst thereof; be ye cleansed, that bear the vessels of the Lord.

12 For ye shall not go out in noise, neither ye shall haste in flying away; for why the Lord shall go before you, and the God of Israel shall gather you together. (For ye shall not go out in haste, nor shall ye leave by fleeing away; because the Lord shall go before you, and the God of Israel shall gather you together.)

13 Lo! my servant shall understand, and he shall be enhanced (and he shall be exalted), and he shall be raised (up), and he shall be full high.

14 As many men wondered on him, so his beholding shall be without glory among men, and the form, either shape, of him among the sons of men. (But many wondered about him, for his appearance was without glory, or without comeliness, among people, and the form, or the shape, of him, among the sons and daughters of men.)

15 He shall besprinkle many folks; kings shall hold together their mouth on him; for they shall see, to which it was not told of him, and they that heard not, beheld. (But he shall startle many nations; kings shall shut, or shall close, their mouths before him; for they shall see, what they had not been told of before, and they shall consider, what they had not heard of before.)

Isaiah 52 Commentary

Chapter 52

The welcome news of Christ's kingdom. (1-12) The humiliation of the Messiah. (13-15)

Verses 1-12 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.

Verses 13-15 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 52

This chapter is a prophecy of the glorious state of the church in the latter day, typified by the deliverance of the Jews from Babylon. The church, under the names of Zion and Jerusalem, is exhorted to awake and clothe herself with strength, and with beautiful garments, to shake off her dust, and loose her bands, since she should become a pure and separate people, Isa 52:1,2 and whereas the Lord's people had been afflicted formerly by the Egyptians, and more lately by the Assyrians, a free redemption is promised them; and the rather they might expect it, since the Lord was no gainer by their affliction, but a loser in his name and honour, as well as they distressed, Isa 52:3-5. And it is suggested, that the knowledge of the Lord should be spread, the good tidings of peace and salvation be delightfully published, and that the ministers of the Gospel should have clear light, and be harmonious and unanimous in the publishing of it, Isa 52:6-8. Upon which the waste places of Jerusalem are called upon to rejoice, both because of the restoration of the Jews, and the conversion of the Gentiles, Isa 2:9,10. And the people of God are called to go out of Babylon, the manner of their departure is directed, and something said for their encouragement, Isa 52:11,12. And the chapter is concluded with some account of the Messiah, of his humiliation and exaltation, and of his work and office, Isa 52:13-15, and which are enlarged upon in the next chapter, which ought properly to begin with these last verses.