Commentary - Isaiah 57:14-21

Bird's-eye view

In this glorious passage, the prophet Isaiah pivots from a scathing rebuke of Israel's idolatry to a profound declaration of God's restorative grace. Having detailed the spiritual adultery of the people, God now announces His intention to heal them. This is not because they have cleaned up their act, but because of who He is. The central theme is the astonishing paradox of God's character: He is simultaneously the "One high and lifted up" and the one who dwells "with the crushed and lowly of spirit." This is the gospel in the Old Testament, a clear proclamation that God's sovereign grace is the only hope for a wayward people.

The passage lays out the process of this restoration. It begins with a command to prepare the way for God's people, removing the stumbling blocks of sin and false teaching. It then grounds this work in the very nature of God, who is both transcendent and immanent. His discipline is temporary and purposeful, designed not to annihilate but to chasten. Despite man's persistent rebellion, God unilaterally declares, "I will heal him." This healing results in peace and praise, a peace that is offered to all, both near and far. The chapter concludes with a stark warning, however, that this divine peace is utterly inaccessible to the wicked, who remain in a state of chaotic turmoil.

Outline

Verse-by-Verse Commentary

Verse 14

And it will be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every stumbling block out of the way of My people." This is the great work of the church, the task of gospel ministry. It is the very thing John the Baptist was called to do, to prepare the way of the Lord. The command is emphatic, repeated for urgency: "Build up, build up." This is not a suggestion. The task is to construct a highway for our God. What are the stumbling blocks? They are anything that obstructs the path to God for His people. This includes doctrinal error, rank hypocrisy in the church, man-made traditions that nullify the Word, and our own cherished sins. We are called to be spiritual road-crew workers, filling in the potholes of ignorance and clearing away the debris of worldliness so that the king's procession can come through unimpeded.

Verse 15

For thus says the One high and lifted up Who dwells forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the crushed and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the crushed." Here is the heart of the passage, and indeed, the heart of the gospel. We are given a breathtaking description of God. He is transcendent, exalted, eternal, and utterly holy. He is separate from and above His creation in every way. And yet, this majestic God makes an astounding claim. He says He also dwells in another place, a seemingly contradictory place: with the man who is crushed and lowly in spirit. This is not a contradiction, but a glorious paradox. God's loftiness is what makes His condescension so profound. He doesn't dwell with the proud and self-sufficient. He makes His home with those who have been broken by the law, who have come to the end of their own resources, who have nothing to offer. And His purpose in dwelling there? Revival. He comes down to our low estate in order to lift us up, to bring life to our dead spirits and dead hearts.

Verse 16

For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would grow faint before Me, And the breath of those whom I have made. God explains the limits He places on His own righteous anger. His wrath is not an uncontrolled, eternal rage. He will not strive with man forever. Why? Because He knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust. If God were to unleash the full measure of His wrath against our sin indefinitely, we would simply be extinguished. The spirit He Himself created would fail. This is a profound statement of God's covenantal mercy. He is the Creator, and He has compassion on the frailty of His creatures. His discipline is always purposeful and measured, never annihilating. He chastens us as a Father, not as an executioner.

Verse 17

Because of the iniquity of his greedy gain I was angry and struck him; I hid My face and was angry, And he went on turning away, in the way of his heart. Here God identifies the specific sin that provoked His anger: covetousness, or greedy gain. This is the root of idolatry, wanting something more than God. So God acted righteously. He was angry, He struck His people, He hid His face. This is the terror of divine judgment. But notice the response of sinful man. Did this discipline lead to immediate repentance? No. It says, "he went on turning away, in the way of his heart." This is a picture of total depravity. Left to ourselves, even God's righteous judgment doesn't fix us. It only reveals the depth of our rebellion. Our hearts are bent on going their own way, and nothing short of a sovereign act of grace can turn them back.

Verse 18

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and pay him and his mourners in full with comfort, This is one of the most gracious "buts" in all of Scripture. God says, "I have seen his ways", those stubborn, backsliding ways described in the previous verse. And what should follow? "Therefore I will destroy him." But that is not what our God says. He says, "I have seen his ways, but I will heal him." The healing is not conditioned on our improvement. It is a sovereign, unilateral declaration of grace. God's grace is not a response to our righteousness, but the cause of it. He doesn't wait for us to get better; He makes us better. He promises to lead, to restore, and to provide comfort, repaying the mourners for their grief with the currency of His own solace.

Verse 19

Creating the praise of the lips. Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near," Says Yahweh, "and I will heal him." What is the result of this divine healing? God Himself creates the fruit of our lips, which is praise. True worship is not something we manufacture; it is the God-given result of a regenerated heart. And with this praise comes peace. The Hebrew repeats it for emphasis, shalom, shalom. This is not just the absence of conflict, but a complete, holistic well-being. And to whom is this peace offered? To the one who is "far" and the one who is "near." This is a clear Old Testament anticipation of the Great Commission. The gospel is for the Jew (near) and the Gentile (far). God concludes this section by reiterating His central promise, as if to seal it in our hearts: "and I will heal him."

Verse 20

But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud. Now comes the sharp and necessary contrast. The peace God gives is a precious gift, but it is not given to all indiscriminately. The wicked, those who persist in their rebellion and refuse God's healing, are compared to a chaotic, restless sea. The sea in Scripture is often a symbol of untamed, dangerous chaos. This is the inner state of the unregenerate heart. There is no stillness, no quiet. Their constant agitation only serves to churn up the filth and mire of their sin. It's a vivid picture of a life without the stabilizing anchor of God's grace.

Verse 21

"There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked." The chapter ends with this solemn, unbending declaration. It is a divine axiom, a law of the spiritual universe. Peace is a fruit of righteousness and a gift of God. Therefore, for those who are at war with God, for those who remain in their wickedness, peace is an impossibility. They may seek it in distraction, in wealth, in power, but they will never find it. True peace is found only in reconciliation with the God who is both high and holy, and who graciously dwells with the lowly in heart.

Application

This passage is a potent remedy for two opposite errors: pride and despair. For the proud, who believe they are managing their spiritual lives quite well, verse 15 is a thunderclap. God does not dwell with the self-satisfied; He dwells with the crushed. We must come to Him with nothing in our hands, recognizing our own spiritual bankruptcy. Until we see ourselves as lowly, we will never know the reviving presence of the Most High.

For the despairing, who are acutely aware of their sin and feel they are too far gone, verse 18 is a lifeline. God sees our waywardness, our repeated failures, our stubborn hearts, and His response is not condemnation but a promise: "I will heal him." Our salvation rests not on the stability of our performance, but on the bedrock of His sovereign grace. He is the one who prepares the way, He is the one who revives the heart, and He is the one who creates our praise.

Finally, we must take the contrast in the final verses to heart. A life apart from God is a life of constant, churning chaos. If you lack peace, the diagnosis is here. True, lasting shalom is found nowhere else but in surrender to the God who offers it freely to all who will come to Him, whether they are near or far off.