This chapter is a cry for help, a burning desire for God to break the silence and make His presence felt. It is not just ancient history; it is a reflection of what many of us feel when life gets complicated, when illness, anguish, or uncertainty strike.
Isaiah 64 teaches us how to draw near to God in those difficult moments and what we can expect when we do.
Isaiah 64 Complete in English
Isaiah 64
- Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence—
- As fire burns brushwood, as fire causes water to boil— to make Your name known to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Your presence!
- When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, the mountains shook at Your presence.
- For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.
- You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, who remembers You in Your ways. Indeed, You are angry, for we have sinned— In these ways we continue, and we need to be saved.
- But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
- And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and have consumed us because of our iniquities.
- But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.
- Do not be furious, O Lord, nor remember iniquity forever; indeed, please look—we all are Your people!
- Your holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
- Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised You, is burned up with fire, and all our pleasant things are laid waste.
- Will You restrain Yourself because of these things, O Lord? Will You hold Your peace and afflict us very severely?
Explanation of Isaiah 64
Isaiah 64: A Desire for God to Act
The chapter begins with a powerful image:
“Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence!” (Isaiah 64:1)
Here, Isaiah is asking for something big. He wants God to manifest Himself in such an impressive way that even the mountains tremble. It’s like when we ask for a clear sign, something impossible to ignore. Has that ever happened to you? Sometimes we want God to speak to us with a thunderous voice, to perform a miracle so obvious that we have no doubt of His presence.
But God doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes, instead of thunder and fire, He responds with a whisper in our hearts, with a peace that has no explanation. The important thing is that even when we don’t see it, He is present and working.
The Fire That Transforms
Isaiah continues with another striking image:
“As fire burns brushwood, as fire causes water to boil— to make Your name known to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Your presence!” (Isaiah 64:2)
Fire purifies and transforms. Have you ever gone through a trial that felt like it was burning you inside? Maybe a health crisis, a betrayal, a financial problem. At the moment, it’s painful, but later you realize that experience changed you—it made you stronger, wiser, more dependent on God.
This is often how God works. He molds us through the fire of trials, not to destroy us, but to purify us, like gold in the furnace.
God Has Unimaginable Things for Those Who Trust Him
One of the most beautiful verses in this chapter is the following:
“For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.” (Isaiah 64:4)
This is incredible. It tells us that God has plans for us beyond what we can imagine. We worry so much about the future, about what could go wrong, but this verse reminds us that God is preparing things greater than what we can see or understand.
The Reality of Our Fragility
Isaiah also gives us a reality check:
“But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6)
We don’t like to admit it, but we are more fragile than we think. We believe we are good, righteous, self-sufficient, but the truth is, without God, we are like dry leaves blown by the wind.
This doesn’t mean we are worthless, but rather that we need God’s grace to truly live in fullness. We cannot save ourselves. We can try to be good, but our own righteousness, apart from God, is like a “filthy rag”—stained and insufficient.
God Is the Potter, We Are the Clay
One of the most hopeful verses in this chapter says:
“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)
Here is the secret to everything: we are clay in God’s hands. Sometimes, we struggle to let go of control, but when we allow God to shape us, we become what He designed us to be.
Final Reflection: What Does Isaiah 64 Teach Us Today?
This chapter is a reminder that we can cry out to God at any time. No matter how far we feel, He is still our Father and still has a purpose for us.
It teaches us that:
- We can ask God to manifest in our lives, though He often does so in ways we don’t expect.
- The fire of trials is not to destroy us, but to transform and purify us.
- God has greater plans than we can imagine, even when we don’t see them.
- Our own righteousness is not enough—we need God’s grace.
- We are clay in His hands, and He wants to mold us into something beautiful.
If today you feel like Israel in Isaiah 64, crying out for God’s presence in the midst of your struggle, remember this: He is still your Father, still shaping you, and has plans for you beyond what you can imagine.
No matter how difficult the process is, God is not finished with you yet. 🙏✨