Isaiah 26: Perfect Peace
A song of the strong city celebrates the steadfast mind kept in perfect peace, the everlasting Rock, and the dead who will rise to sing.
Isaiah 26 (WEB)
1 In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks.
2 Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith.
3 You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you.
4 Trust in Yahweh forever; for in Yah, Yahweh, is an everlasting Rock.
5 For he has brought down those who dwell on high, the lofty city. He lays it low. He lays it low even to the ground. He brings it even to the dust.
6 The foot shall tread it down; Even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.”
7 The way of the just is uprightness. You who are upright make the path of the righteous level.
8 Yes, in the way of your judgments, Yahweh, have we waited for you. Your name and your renown are the desire of our soul.
9 With my soul have I desired you in the night. Yes, with my spirit within me will I seek you earnestly; for when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
10 Let favor be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness. In the land of uprightness he will deal wrongfully, and will not see Yahweh’s majesty.
11 Yahweh, your hand is lifted up, yet they don’t see; but they will see your zeal for the people, and be disappointed. Yes, fire will consume your adversaries.
12 Yahweh, you will ordain peace for us, for you have also worked all our works for us.
13 Yahweh our God, other lords besides you have had dominion over us, but by you only will we make mention of your name.
14 The dead shall not live. The departed spirits shall not rise. Therefore you have visited and destroyed them, and caused all memory of them to perish.
15 You have increased the nation, O Yahweh. You have increased the nation! You are glorified! You have enlarged all the borders of the land.
16 Yahweh, in trouble they have visited you. They poured out a prayer when your chastening was on them.
17 Like as a woman with child, who draws near the time of her delivery, is in pain and cries out in her pangs; so we have been before you, Yahweh.
18 We have been with child. We have been in pain. We gave birth, it seems, only to wind. We have not worked any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
19 Your dead shall live. My dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth will cast out the departed spirits.
20 Come, my people, enter into your rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a little moment, until the indignation is past.
21 For, behold, Yahweh comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth also will disclose her blood, and will no longer cover her slain.
Isaiah 26 (KJV)
1 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.
2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:
5 For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.
6 The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.
7 The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.
8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord.
11 Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.
12 Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.
13 O Lord our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.
14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.
15 Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.
16 Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.
17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O Lord.
18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
21 For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Isaiah 26 (ASV)
1 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation will he appoint for walls and bulwarks.
2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth faith may enter in.
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.
4 Trust ye in Jehovah for ever; for in Jehovah, even Jehovah, is an everlasting rock.
5 For he hath brought down them that dwell on high, the lofty city: he layeth it low, he layeth it low even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.
6 The foot shall tread it down; even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.
7 The way of the just is uprightness: thou that art upright dost direct the path of the just.
8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Jehovah, have we waited for thee; to thy name, even to thy memorial name, is the desire of our soul.
9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee earnestly: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
10 Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness will he deal wrongfully, and will not behold the majesty of Jehovah.
11 Jehovah, thy hand is lifted up, yet they see not: but they shall seethyzeal for the people, and be put to shame; yea, fire shall devour thine adversaries.
12 Jehovah, thou wilt ordain peace for us; for thou hast also wrought all our works for us.
13 O Jehovah our God, other lords besides thee have had dominion over us; but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.
14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all remembrance of them to perish.
15 Thou hast increased the nation, O Jehovah, thou hast increased the nation; thou art glorified; thou hast enlarged all the borders of the land.
16 Jehovah, in trouble have they visited thee; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.
17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain and crieth out in her pangs; so we have been before thee, O Jehovah.
18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
19 Thy dead shall live; my dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth the dead.
20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
21 For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Summary
In that day a song will be sung in Judah: “We have a strong city,” whose walls and bulwarks are the salvation God himself appoints. The gates are opened for the righteous nation that keeps faith. At the heart of the song stands one of Scripture's most treasured promises: God will keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in him, so the people are urged to trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah is an everlasting Rock. God brings down the lofty city and treads it under the feet of the poor and needy. The way of the just is level and upright, and the believing soul confesses that in the night it has waited for God, desiring his name above all. Even when judgment is in the earth, the wicked will not learn righteousness; only God's grace teaches it. The song acknowledges the people's helplessness: they have writhed like a woman in labor yet given birth only to wind, accomplishing no deliverance themselves. Then comes a radiant promise of resurrection: “Your dead shall live. My dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust.” God calls his people to hide for a little moment until his indignation against the earth's iniquity has passed.
Key Figures
- Yahweh (the LORD) — The everlasting Rock who is the salvation and security of the strong city, keeps the steadfast in perfect peace, and raises his dead to life.
- The righteous nation — The faithful people who enter the open gates of the strong city, trust in the Lord forever, and wait for him through the night.
- The lofty city / the wicked — The proud society God brings low under the feet of the needy, and those who will not learn righteousness even when judgment comes.
- God's dead — Those who sleep in the dust, promised that they shall live and rise to sing, an early bright hope of bodily resurrection.
Key Verse
Isaiah 26:3 (WEB)
You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you.
Lessons Learned
- True security is the salvation God appoints, not walls we build ourselves.
- Perfect peace is found in a mind kept steadfast by trusting the Lord.
- The Lord is an everlasting Rock, worthy of our trust forever.
- God's people cannot save themselves, but he promises that their dead shall live and rise to sing.
- God is our true defense. “We have a strong city. God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks” (Isaiah 26:1, WEB). Our security rests in his saving work, not our fortifications.
- Trust brings perfect peace. “You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3, WEB). Peace flows from a settled trust in God.
- God is an everlasting Rock. “Trust in Yahweh forever; for in Yah, Yahweh, is an everlasting Rock” (Isaiah 26:4, WEB). He is the one unshakable foundation for our lives.
- God will raise the dead. “Your dead shall live. My dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust” (Isaiah 26:19, WEB), a hope brought to full light in Christ's resurrection.
- What makes the “strong city” of this song truly secure?
- What is the relationship between a steadfast mind, trust, and perfect peace in verse 3?
- Why does the prophet call God “an everlasting Rock,” and what does that mean for our trust?
- What does the song admit about the people's own ability to save themselves (verses 17-18)?
- In what area of life do you need God to keep your mind steadfast in his perfect peace?
- The city's strength is not its masonry but the salvation God appoints for its walls and bulwarks (26:1). Security comes from the Lord's saving presence, opened to the righteous who keep faith, not from human defenses.
- Perfect peace is promised to the one whose mind is steadfast “because he trusts in you” (26:3). The peace is not the absence of trouble but the steadiness of a heart anchored in God; trust is the root, peace is the fruit.
- God is called an everlasting Rock (26:4) because, unlike crumbling cities and fleeting powers, he never changes or fails. To build our trust on him is to rest on the one foundation that endures forever, in this life and beyond.
- The people confess they have writhed in labor only to give birth to wind, working no deliverance (26:17-18). It is an honest admission of helplessness, which makes the following promise that God's dead shall live all the more pure grace.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to name an anxiety where they long for steadiness, and to practice fixing their minds on God's trustworthiness. As leader, gently model how trust precedes peace, and close by resting in the everlasting Rock.