Focused Passage

Isaiah 64:1-4

A Cry for the LORD to Rend the Heavens and Remember His People

From a plea for the LORD to tear open the heavens and come down, to remembrance of his awesome past deeds, to confession that the people have sinned and become unclean, to acknowledgment that no one calls on the LORD or lays hold of him, to appeal that the LORD is Father and Potter, to lament over ruined Zion, desolate Jerusalem, and the burned temple.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 If only You would rend the heavens and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence,

2 as fire kindles the brushwood and causes the water to boil, to make Your name known to Your enemies, so that the nations will tremble at Your presence!

3 When You did awesome works that we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains trembled at Your presence.

4 From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

If only לוּא־ H3863 Preposition You would rend קָרַ֤עְתָּ H7167 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular the heavens שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ H8064 Noun - masculine plural and come down יָרַ֔דְתָּ H3381 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular so that mountains הָרִ֥ים H2022 Noun - masculine plural would quake נָזֹֽלּוּ׃ H2151 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural at Your presence מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 2

Original words

as fire אֵ֣שׁ H784 Noun - common singular kindles כִּקְדֹ֧חַ H6919 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct the brushwood הֲמָסִ֗ים H2003 Noun - masculine plural [and] אֵ֔שׁ H784 Noun - common singular causes the water מַ֚יִם H4325 Noun - masculine plural to boil תִּבְעֶה־ H1158 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular to make Your name שִׁמְךָ֖ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular known לְהוֹדִ֥יעַ H3045 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct to Your enemies לְצָרֶ֑יךָ H6862 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular so that the nations גּוֹיִ֥ם H1471 Noun - masculine plural will tremble יִרְגָּֽזוּ׃ H7264 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural at Your presence מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

When You did בַּעֲשׂוֹתְךָ֥ H6213 Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular awesome works נוֹרָא֖וֹת H3372 Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural that we did not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle expect נְקַוֶּ֑ה H6960 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common plural You came down יָרַ֕דְתָּ H3381 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular and the mountains הָרִ֥ים H2022 Noun - masculine plural trembled נָזֹֽלּוּ׃ H2151 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural at Your presence מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

From ancient times וּמֵעוֹלָ֥ם H5769 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular no לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle one has heard שָׁמְע֖וּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural no לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle ear has perceived הֶאֱזִ֑ינוּ H238 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural no לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle eye עַ֣יִן H5869 Noun - common singular has seen רָאָ֗תָה H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular any God אֱלֹהִים֙ H430 Noun - masculine plural besides You זוּלָ֣תְךָ֔ H2108 Preposition | second person masculine singular who acts יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular on behalf of those who wait לִמְחַכֵּה־ H2442 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct for Him לֽוֹ׃ Preposition | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in 1 Corinthians 2:9

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.