Commentary - Isaiah 26:1-6

Bird's-eye view

Here in Isaiah 26, we are given the lyrics to a song that will be sung in the new covenant era, what the prophet calls "in that day." This is a song of glorious contrasts. It is a tale of two cities, a theme that runs from Genesis right through to Revelation. On the one hand, we have the strong city of God, whose walls are salvation itself. On the other, we have the lofty city of man, full of pride and arrogance, which God Himself brings down to the dust. This passage teaches us where true security is to be found, not in human institutions or achievements, but in the character of God. It is a song for the redeemed, celebrating the peace that comes from trusting in our everlasting Rock and the ultimate justice that will see the humble triumph over the proud.

Outline

A Tale of Two Cities

The Bible is a story of two lines, two seeds, and two cities. It begins with Cain building a city in the land of Nod, a city of man founded on murder and rebellion (Gen 4:17). In contrast, Abraham looked for a city "whose builder and maker is God" (Heb 11:10). This conflict runs through all of history: Babylon versus Jerusalem, Rome versus the Church, the city of man versus the City of God. Isaiah here prophesies about the ultimate triumph of God's city. The city of man, no matter how high its towers or how proud its inhabitants, is destined for the dust. The City of God, whose only defense is God's salvation, is eternally secure. This song is the anthem of those who have been made citizens of that heavenly country through faith in Jesus Christ.

Verse by Verse Commentary

Isaiah 26:1

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for salvation.”

The prophet begins by pointing us to the future, to "that day." This is shorthand for the age of the Messiah, the time when the promises of God find their fulfillment in Christ. The location is significant: "the land of Judah," which means "praise." The gospel age is an era of praise, and this is the song the redeemed will sing. They sing of a "strong city." But its strength does not come from military might or clever engineering. Its strength comes from the fact that God Himself establishes its defenses. Salvation is not something that happens within the walls; salvation is the walls. God's saving grace is our fortification. We are not saved because we managed to get inside a secure place. We are secure because salvation itself has been placed around us.

Isaiah 26:2

Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, The one that keeps faithfulness.

The gates of this city are to be thrown open. This is a picture of the gospel invitation going out. But notice, this is not an invitation to everyone indiscriminately in the modern, sentimental sense. The invitation has a character. The gates are opened for "the righteous nation." In the old covenant, this would be understood as faithful Israel. In the new covenant, this is the Church, the holy nation Peter speaks of (1 Pet 2:9), comprised of all those who have been declared righteous through faith in Christ. And what is their defining characteristic? They are the ones who "keep faithfulness." This means they hold fast to the truth, they are steadfast in the covenant. This is a city for believers, for those who trust God and keep His Word.

Isaiah 26:3

The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace Because he trusts in You.

This is one of the great promises in all of Scripture, and it gets right to the heart of the Christian life. The Hebrew for "steadfast of mind" refers to one whose mind, whose very frame and imagination, is stayed, supported, and propped up. Propped up by what? By God Himself. And for the man whose mind is stayed on God, the result is "perfect peace." The Hebrew is emphatic, shalom, shalom, peace, peace. It is a deep, abiding, double portion of peace that the world cannot give and cannot take away. And the reason for this peace is stated plainly: "Because he trusts in You." Peace is not the product of favorable circumstances; it is the fruit of faith. When we trust in the sovereign God who governs all our circumstances, our minds are kept in His peace, regardless of the storms raging outside the walls.

Isaiah 26:4

Trust in Yahweh forever, For in Yah, Yahweh Himself, we have an everlasting Rock.

The promise of verse 3 naturally leads to the exhortation of verse 4. Because God keeps the trusting heart in peace, the only logical response is to "Trust in Yahweh forever." This is not a temporary fix or a short term strategy. It is a perpetual way of life. And the foundation for this unending trust is the very nature of God. The name is repeated for emphasis: "in Yah, Yahweh Himself." This is the covenant God, the great I AM. He is our "everlasting Rock." While everything else in this world is shifting sand, God is the immutable, eternal, and unshakeable foundation upon which we can build our lives. To trust in anything else is to build on what will inevitably be swept away.

Isaiah 26:5

For He has laid low those who settle on high, the exalted city; He brings it low, He brings it low to the ground, He casts it to the dust.

Now the contrast comes into sharp focus. Why is our Rock so trustworthy? Because He is the one who deals with all rival powers. Here is the exalted city, the city of man, Babylon the great. It is full of those who "settle on high," puffed up with pride and self sufficiency. They believe their position is unassailable. But God is the great leveler. The repetition drives the point home: "He brings it low, He brings it low to the ground, He casts it to the dust." This is not a minor setback; it is total annihilation. God's judgment on human pride is absolute. Every tower of Babel, whether ancient or modern, will ultimately end up as dust.

Isaiah 26:6

The foot will trample it, The feet of the afflicted, the steps of the poor.

And who are the agents of this final humiliation? In a glorious display of divine irony, it is not a mighty army or a celestial warrior. The ruins of the proud city will be trampled by "the feet of the afflicted, the steps of the poor." The very people whom the exalted city oppressed and despised will be the ones who walk over its rubble. This is the great reversal that Christ spoke of: the first will be last, and the last will be first. The meek will inherit the earth. This is a promise that the Church, often afflicted and poor in the eyes of the world, will ultimately be vindicated. In Christ, we are more than conquerors, and one day we will trample the dust of all that set itself up against our God.

Application

This song from Isaiah is our song. We live in a world that is frantically trying to build its own strong city, a secular utopia with walls of legislation and ramparts of technology. But it is a city built on the sand of human pride, and it is destined for the dust. Our security as Christians does not lie in political victories or cultural influence. Our security is in the fact that God Himself is our salvation.

Therefore, the central application is to trust Him. Is your mind stayed on Him, or is it flitting about, anxious over the headlines and the cultural decay? The promise is that if you fix your mind on Him, if you trust in your everlasting Rock, He will keep you in perfect peace. This peace is not passivity; it is the firm foundation from which we live out our faithfulness. We are citizens of a strong city, and because of that, we can live with courage, joy, and an unshakeable confidence in the final victory of our God, when every proud thing will be brought low, and the humble will rejoice in the ruins.