Isaiah 64:5
in Isaiah 64You welcome those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. Surely You were angry, for we sinned. How can we be saved if we remain in our sins?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou wast wroth, and we sinned: in them have we been of long time; and shall we be saved?
KJV
Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.
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This verse in Isaiah 64
Commentary
3 notes on this verseA disorder of priorities. Not because you are angry, we have sinned; but because we have sinned, you are angry. And because we have sinned, you are angry with us, O Lord: therefore we have gone astray and have left the right path. Whether according to the Hebrew, who we have always been in sins, we shall be saved only by your mercy, who we are defiled through ourselves.
This site's exposition
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard
on Isaiah 64:4-5
The prayer turns to the uniqueness of this God: since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him, language the older commentators connect to Paul's citation at 1 Cor 2:9 of what God has prepared for those who love him, though the wording differs enough that they debate how directly Paul draws on this verse rather than on a related saying. Verse 5 describes the God who meets the one who rejoices and works righteousness, those who remember him in his ways, and admits in the same breath, behold, thou art wroth, for we have sinned, waiting on God and confessing sin held together without contradiction. Barnes notes the verse's grammar is difficult in Hebrew and the versions differ, the general sense of long continuance in sin and the hope of being saved anyway carried across the difficulty. Gill reads in those is continuance, and we shall be saved as the confession that Israel's sin has been long, not sudden, and yet the plea for salvation still stands.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Thou meetest him - Perhaps there are few verses in the Bible that have given more perplexity to interpreters than this; and after all that has been done, the general impression seems to be, that it is wholly inexplicable, or without meaning - as it certainly is in our translation.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| פָּגַ֤עְתָּ | paga'ta | you meet | H6293 → | 46 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שָׂשׂ֙ | sas | [one who] rejoices | H7797 → | 27 times |
| וְעֹ֣שֵׂה | veoseh | and [one who] does | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| צֶ֔דֶק | tzedek | <of> righteousness | H6664 → | 119 times |
| בִּדְרָכֶ֖יךָ | bidrakheikha | in ways your | H1870 → | 707 times |
| יִזְכְּר֑וּךָ | yizkerukha | they remember you | H2142 → | 230 times |
| הֵן־ | hen- | there! | H2005 → | 316 times |
| אַתָּ֤ה | ʾatah | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| קָצַ֙פְתָּ֙ | katzafta | you were angry | H7107 → | 34 times |
| וַֽנֶּחֱטָ֔א | vanecheta' | and we sinned | H2398 → | 238 times |
| בָּהֶ֥ם | bahem | in <the> them | ||
| עוֹלָ֖ם | olam | long duration | H5769 → | 438 times |
| וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעַ׃ | venivashea' | so we may be saved? | H3467 → | 206 times |
פָּגַ֤עְתָּyou meet
paga'taH6293 →46 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שָׂשׂ֙[one who] rejoices
sasH7797 →27 times
וְעֹ֣שֵׂהand [one who] does
veosehH6213 →2628 times
צֶ֔דֶק<of> righteousness
tzedekH6664 →119 times
בִּדְרָכֶ֖יךָin ways your
bidrakheikhaH1870 →707 times
יִזְכְּר֑וּךָthey remember you
yizkerukhaH2142 →230 times
הֵן־there!
hen-H2005 →316 times
אַתָּ֤הyou
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
קָצַ֙פְתָּ֙you were angry
katzaftaH7107 →34 times
וַֽנֶּחֱטָ֔אand we sinned
vanecheta'H2398 →238 times
בָּהֶ֥םin <the> them
bahem
עוֹלָ֖םlong duration
olamH5769 →438 times
וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעַ׃so we may be saved?
venivashea'H3467 →206 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
Hebrews 4:16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
it leads to
- Ephesians 3:12
In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.
- Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
- Hebrews 10:19–23
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
- Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
- Philippians 4:6–7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- Ephesians 3:12
Through
Acts 10:35but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.
it leads to
- 1 John 2:29
If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.
- Acts 10:2
He and all his household were devout and God-fearing. He gave generously to the people and prayed to God regularly.
- Romans 10:12–13
For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him,
- 1 John 2:29
Where this verse is studied
1 study on this verse
Also on Isaiah 64: 1 study that walk through this chapter ▾
About Isaiah
This page draws on 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 and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament.