The Meaning of Isaiah 26:1 Explained

Isaiah 26:1

KJV: In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

YLT: In that day sung is this song in the land of Judah: 'We have a strong city, Salvation He doth make walls and bulwark.

Darby: In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation doth he appoint for walls and bulwarks.

ASV: In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: we have a strong city; salvation will he appoint for walls and bulwarks.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In that day  shall this song  be sung  in the land  of Judah;  We have a strong  city;  salvation  will [God] appoint  [for] walls  and bulwarks. 

What does Isaiah 26:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The prophet revealed another song that will be sung "in that day" (the Millennium, cf. ch25) by those in Zion.
The New Jerusalem that God will set up will be a place of strength and security for the redeemed (cf. Revelation 21:9 to Revelation 22:5). I believe this will be a literal city with walls and gates, but many interpreters take the description as metaphorical. In that case what Isaiah meant was only that God would provide strength and security for His people.

Context Summary

Isaiah 26:1-10 - Peace Through Steadfast Trust
No doubt when Babylon fell before Cyrus the Jewish remnant under Ezra and Nehemiah sang this triumphal ode, which contrasts the respective lots of Babylon and Jerusalem. The one is the city of this world and its children; the other the city and home of the saints. The fate of Babylon is delineated in Isaiah 26:5-6; but with what glowing words does the prophet dwell on the blessedness of those who are fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God, Ephesians 2:19. Note in Isaiah 26:3, margin, one of God's double doors against the intrusion on the soul of a single note of alarm or fear. God is the Rock of Ages, Isaiah 26:4, margin. Our trust should be permanent as His love-forever. The weakest foot may trample on the proudest foe, when God has laid him in the dust. God levels the path of the just. However difficult your path, dare to believe that you are being directed in righteousness God cannot make mistakes. Any other path would be impracticable. Only nurse the desires of your soul for God; they are the result of the promptings and drawings of His Spirit. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 26

1  Trust in God's Provision

What do the individual words in Isaiah 26:1 mean?

In day that will be sung song this in the land of Judah a city strong we have salvation [God] will appoint [for] walls and bulwarks
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא יוּשַׁ֥ר הַשִּׁיר־ הַזֶּ֖ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֑ה עִ֣יר עָז־ לָ֔נוּ יְשׁוּעָ֥ה יָשִׁ֖ית חוֹמ֥וֹת וָחֵֽל

בַּיּ֣וֹם  In  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַה֔וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
יוּשַׁ֥ר  will  be  sung 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שִׁיר  
Sense: to sing.
הַשִּׁיר־  song 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.
הַזֶּ֖ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
יְהוּדָ֑ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
עִ֣יר  a  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
עָז־  strong 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עַז 
Sense: strong, mighty, fierce.
לָ֔נוּ  we  have 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
יְשׁוּעָ֥ה  salvation 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְשׁוּעָה  
Sense: salvation, deliverance.
יָשִׁ֖ית  [God]  will  appoint 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שִׁית  
Sense: to put, set.
חוֹמ֥וֹת  [for]  walls 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: חֹומָה  
Sense: wall.
וָחֵֽל  and  bulwarks 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵיל  
Sense: rampart, fortress, wall.