The Meaning of Isaiah 52:9 Explained

Isaiah 52:9

KJV: Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

YLT: Break forth, sing together, O wastes of Jerusalem, For Jehovah hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem.

Darby: Break forth, sing aloud together, waste places of Jerusalem; for Jehovah comforteth his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

ASV: Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for Jehovah hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Break forth into joy,  sing  together,  ye waste places  of Jerusalem:  for the LORD  hath comforted  his people,  he hath redeemed  Jerusalem. 

What does Isaiah 52:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Now all the people of Jerusalem, even the downtrodden, joined the chorus and praised God for coming to comfort and redeem His people.
"To give thanks in advance is the highest form of faith. The person praising God for what he or she does not yet possess is the person who truly believes the promises of God." [1]

Context Summary

Isaiah 52:1-15 - "thy God Reigneth!"
It is not God that has become lethargic; but we that have slept and need to awake. Being awakened, we discover that two sets of attire are waiting for us: First, His strength, so that we may not be afraid of ten thousands of people who set themselves round about; and secondly, the beautiful garments of our Lord's character. See Colossians 3:9-17.
At last the climax of the long prophetic stairway is reached and the summons for the exodus from Babylon rings out, Isaiah 52:11. It was God's return to the desolate city, Isaiah 52:2; Isaiah 52:8. The stately procession moves slowly and fearlessly. It is not the escape of a band of fugitive slaves, dreading pursuit and recapture, Isaiah 52:12. Before it speed the heralds, appearing on the sky line as they ascend the mountains which surround the Holy City, publishing peace and salvation, Isaiah 52:7. The central body is composed of white robed priests, bearing with reverent care the holy vessels, Isaiah 52:11, of which Nebuchadnezzar despoiled the Temple, but which Cyrus restored. See Ezra 1:7-11. Thus, also, the Church marches through the world. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 52

1  Christ persuades the church to believe his free redemption
7  To receive the ministers thereof
9  To joy in the power thereof
11  And to free themselves from bondage
13  Christ's kingdom shall be exalted

What do the individual words in Isaiah 52:9 mean?

Break forth into joy sing together You waste places of Jerusalem for has comforted Yahweh His people He has redeemed Jerusalem
פִּצְח֤וּ רַנְּנוּ֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו חָרְב֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כִּֽי־ נִחַ֤ם יְהוָה֙ עַמּ֔וֹ גָּאַ֖ל יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם

פִּצְח֤וּ  Break  forth  into  joy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: פָּצַח 
Sense: to cause to break or burst forth, break forth with, break out.
רַנְּנוּ֙  sing 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: רוּן 
Sense: to overcome.
יַחְדָּ֔ו  together 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַחַד 
Sense: union, unitedness adv.
חָרְב֖וֹת  You  waste  places 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: חָרְבָּה  
Sense: a place laid waste, ruin, waste, desolation.
יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  of  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
נִחַ֤ם  has  comforted 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָחַם  
Sense: to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עַמּ֔וֹ  His  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
גָּאַ֖ל  He  has  redeemed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גְּאוּלִים 
Sense: to redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer, avenge, revenge, ransom, do the part of a kinsman.
יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.