Isaiah 12:4
in Isaiah 12and on that day you will say: “Give praise to the LORD; proclaim His name! Make His works known among the peoples; declare that His name is exalted.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And in that day shall ye say, Give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name, declare his doings among the peoples, make mention that his name is exalted.
KJV
And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.
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This verse in Isaiah 12
Commentary
8 notes on this verseCall upon his name - קראו בשמו kiru bishmo, invoke his name. Make him your Mediator, or call the people in his name. Preach him who is the Root of Jesse, and who stands as an ensign for the nations. Call on the people to believe in him; as in him alone salvation is to be found.
This site's exposition
Give praise to the LORD
on Isaiah 12:4-6
The confession turns corporate at verse 4: "Make His works known among the peoples," the deeds of the two chapters before now made public praise. The chapter closes on the title "great among you is the Holy One of Israel," the seraphim's word now sung by the remnant.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verses 4, 5.) And you shall say on that day, confess the Lord and invoke His name: make His inventions known among the peoples: remember, for His name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for He has done great things: announce this in all the earth.
The Medieval Church1 voice
388. And you shall say. Here he foretells that the people shall also sing, after the benefit has been received, and it contains the mutual exhortation of the people to divine praise. Exhortation to three things is set out: to the confession of divine praise, …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
By prayer: Call upon his name. As giving thanks for former mercy is a decent way of begging further mercy, so begging further mercy is graciously accepted as a thankful acknowledgment of the mercies we have received. In calling upon God's name we give unto him some of the glory that is due to his name as our powerful and bountiful benefactor.
2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the L ORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:95%@v2-3
In that day shall ye say, praise the Lord,.... On account of his being and perfections, for blessings received from him, especially spiritual ones; and particularly such as are before mentioned, fulness of grace in him, strength and salvation by him, a view of interest in him as a Saviour, and divine comforts communicated from him; which is done by giving him the glory of them, and thanks for them.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And in that day - (see Isa 12:1). Call upon his name - Margin, ‘Proclaim.’ It denotes to call upon him in the way of celebrating his praise. The whole hymn is one of praise, and not of prayer. Declare among the people - Among all people, that they may be brought to see his glory, and join in the celebration of his praise. His doings - Particularly in regard to the great events which are the subject of the previous predictions - his interposition in saving people by the Messiah from eternal death. Make mention - Hebrew, ‘Cause it to be remembered’ (see the note at Isa 62:6). That his name is exalted - That it is worthy of adoration and praise. It is worthy to be exalted, or lifted up in view of the nations of the earth 2Sa 22:47; Psa 21:13; Psa 46:10.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
And you shall draw water You shall receive a new teaching [from Targum].
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֞ם | vaamartem | and you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| בַּיּ֣וֹם | baiyom | in the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַה֗וּא | hahu' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| הוֹד֤וּ | hodu | give thanks | H3034 → | 114 times |
| לַֽיהוָה֙ | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| קִרְא֣וּ | kiru | call | H7121 → | 733 times |
| בִשְׁמ֔וֹ | vishmo | on name his | H8034 → | 864 times |
| הוֹדִ֥יעוּ | hodiu | make known | H3045 → | 945 times |
| בָֽעַמִּ֖ים | vaamim | among the peoples | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| עֲלִֽילֹתָ֑יו | ʾalilotav | deeds his | H5949 → | |
| הַזְכִּ֕ירוּ | hazkiru | bring to remembrance | H2142 → | 230 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נִשְׂגָּ֖ב | nisgav | [is] exalted | H7682 → | 20 times |
| שְׁמֽוֹ׃ | shemo | name his | H8034 → | 864 times |
וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֞םand you will say
vaamartemH559 →5305 times
בַּיּ֣וֹםin the day
baiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַה֗וּא<the> that
hahu'H1931 →1879 times
הוֹד֤וּgive thanks
hoduH3034 →114 times
לַֽיהוָה֙to Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
קִרְא֣וּcall
kiruH7121 →733 times
בִשְׁמ֔וֹon name his
vishmoH8034 →864 times
הוֹדִ֥יעוּmake known
hodiuH3045 →945 times
בָֽעַמִּ֖יםamong the peoples
vaamimH5971 →1873 times
עֲלִֽילֹתָ֑יוdeeds his
ʾalilotavH5949 →
הַזְכִּ֕ירוּbring to remembrance
hazkiruH2142 →230 times
כִּ֥יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
נִשְׂגָּ֖ב[is] exalted
nisgavH7682 →20 times
שְׁמֽוֹ׃name his
shemoH8034 →864 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Chronicles 29:11Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom,…
it leads to
- Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the…
- 1 Timothy 1:17
Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
- Daniel 4:34–35
But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives…
- Revelation 5:12–13
In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
- Jude 1:25
to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.
- Hebrews 1:3
Through
Psalms 105:1Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations.
it leads to
- Psalms 145:11–12
They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your might,
- Romans 10:13
for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
- Psalms 106:1
Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
- Psalms 145:11–12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Isaiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.