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Isaiah 52:7-10

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes. 

Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.

The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sigh of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God."

Isaiah 52:7-10 portrays a scene of a messenger running to Jerusalem and broadcasting great news to the people. The people have been saved. God has rescued them from their enemies. He rules as their King. This picture of the King who rescues prepares us for the work God would ultimately do through His Son Jesus. Christ who rescues the people of God from the enemies of sin and death. Let us notice a couple of things from these verses:

1. God does the work. Take note of how the people of Zion are saved from their oppressors. Have they exercised great strength? Achieved victory by their own might, cunning or wisdom? No! All they have done is received the news that God has done the work on their behalf. So it is with the much-needed rescue from sin we all require. We don’t save ourselves, but God in Christ fights and wins on our behalf. He does this by dying on the cross for our sin and rising again in victory. We, by faith, receive the news and enjoy the benefits. It is all grace. Paul famously writes in the New Testament:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

2. Praise is the response. In the Isaiah passage, God’s people ‘lift up their voices’; ‘shout for joy’; and ‘burst into songs’. How much more of a reason do we have to praise God than these people? The more we take to heart the great rescue Christ has brought, the more heartfelt, authentic and exuberant our praise will be. Do you grasp the magnitude of Jesus’ victory over sin and death for you? Do you know something of your need of salvation and your own inability to redeem yourself? Then praise! Celebrate! Sing for joy! Notice in verses 8 and 9 the response is corporate. We get to shout ‘together’, we get to sing ‘together’. The Lord has comforted and redeemed us. Let’s respond in praise.

PRAYER & PRAISE

Psalm 68:4 (NLT)

Sing praises to God and to His name! Sing loud praises to Him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord— Rejoice in His presence!

  • Thank You Lord that we can rest in the promise of Your presence with us, and that Your name is the name above all names.
  • Thank You for Your unfailing love.
  • We put our hope in You as we bring those we are aware of who are in need of prayer and know You are ever present and at work in their lives.