Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
What does Isaiah 35:4 mean?
Judea was prosperous in the days of Hezekiah, but the kingdom of Christ is the great subject intended. Converting grace makes the soul that was a wilderness, to rejoice with joy and singing, and to blossom abundantly.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Isaiah 35:3-4 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Isaiah 35:4
Say to them - This is still an address to the ministers of religion, to make use of all the consolations which these truths and predictions furnish to confirm and strengthen the people of God. Of a fearful heart - Of a timid, pusillanimous heart; those who tremble before their enemies. The Hebrew is, as in the Margin, 'Of a hasty heart;' that is, of those who are disposed to flee before their enemies (see the note at Isaiah 30:16 ). Behold, your God will come with vengeance - That is, in the manner described in the previous chapter; and, generally, he will take vengeance on all the enemies of his people, and they shall be punished.
Key words
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Say to them that are of a fearful heart,.
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Say to them that are of a fearful heart,.
Context in Isaiah 35
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Isaiah 35 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as comfort and the servant songs. Isaiah is one of Scripture’s grandest prophetic books, moving from holy judgment to consolation, servant imagery, and new-creation hope. Read this chapter with the wider themes of holiness, judgment, and remnant in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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