The Meaning of Isaiah 57:15 Explained

Isaiah 57:15

KJV: For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

YLT: For thus said the high and exalted One, Inhabiting eternity, and holy is His name: 'In the high and holy place I dwell, And with the bruised and humble of spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of bruised ones,'

Darby: For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, and whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

ASV: For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For thus saith  the high  and lofty One  that inhabiteth  eternity,  whose name  [is] Holy;  I dwell  in the high  and holy  [place], with him also [that is] of a contrite  and humble  spirit,  to revive  the spirit  of the humble,  and to revive  the heart  of the contrite ones. 

What does Isaiah 57:15 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The reason for this proclamation is that God is who He is. He is the utterly transcendent God in relation to space (high and lifted up, cf. Isaiah 6:1; Isaiah 52:13), time (lives forever), and character (holy). Yet He is also immanent, dwelling among repentant and humble people. He dwells among them to encourage and enable them. The holy God is with His humble people (cf. Isaiah 7:14). One writer called this verse "one of the finest one-sentence summations of biblical theology in the Bible." [1]
"Earthly sovereigns are thought of as dwelling with the exalted and proud ones; the great Sovereign of all dwells with the humble believer." [2]

Context Summary

Isaiah 57:1-21 - No Peace To The Wicked
A terrible portrayal is given here of the idolatries and impurities into which the Chosen People had fallen. These scenes under "the oaks" (r.v.) and in the valleys remind us of the invariable evils associated with idolatry which the great Apostle has recorded in Romans 1:23-28. They refused to retain God in their knowledge, and He gave them over to a reprobate mind; that is, He ceased to restrain them.
But amid the degenerate nation, there was a handful of elect souls; God is always careful against rooting up the tares, lest one stalk of wheat perish. Amid the destruction that must overtake the guilty land they that trusted in Him, would not be overlooked. See Isaiah 57:13-14.
With what comfort the chapter closes! Isaiah 57:15, etc. We may have been covetous and froward, and have deserved wrath and chastisement, but God will not always chide. Only return to Him! He will revive your heart, and "restore comfort" to you. He will heal where He has wounded, and will bring you near, through the blood of the Cross. See Ephesians 2:16-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 57

1  The blessed death of the righteous
3  God reproves the People for their idolatry
13  He gives promises of mercy to the penitent

What do the individual words in Isaiah 57:15 mean?

For thus says the High and Lofty one who inhabits eternity and Holy whose name [is] in the high and holy [place] I dwell and with him [who] has a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones
כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר רָ֣ם וְנִשָּׂ֗א שֹׁכֵ֥ן עַד֙ וְקָד֣וֹשׁ שְׁמ֔וֹ מָר֥וֹם וְקָד֖וֹשׁ אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹן וְאֶת־ דַּכָּא֙ וּשְׁפַל־ ר֔וּחַ לְהַחֲיוֹת֙ ר֣וּחַ שְׁפָלִ֔ים וּֽלְהַחֲי֖וֹת לֵ֥ב נִדְכָּאִֽים

כֹ֨ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֜ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
רָ֣ם  the  High 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָרוּם 
Sense: to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted.
וְנִשָּׂ֗א  and  Lofty  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
שֹׁכֵ֥ן  who  inhabits 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁכַן  
Sense: to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside.
עַד֙  eternity 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַד  
Sense: perpetuity, for ever, continuing future.
וְקָד֣וֹשׁ  and  Holy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: קָדֹושׁ  
Sense: sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart.
שְׁמ֔וֹ  whose  name  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
מָר֥וֹם  in  the  high 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָרֹום  
Sense: height.
וְקָד֖וֹשׁ  and  holy  [place] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: קָדֹושׁ  
Sense: sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart.
אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹן  I  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁכַן  
Sense: to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside.
וְאֶת־  and  with 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
דַּכָּא֙  him  [who]  has  a  contrite 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דַּכָּא 
Sense: dust (adj).
וּשְׁפַל־  and  humble 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: שָׁפָל  
Sense: low, humble.
ר֔וּחַ  spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
לְהַחֲיוֹת֙  to  revive 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
ר֣וּחַ  the  spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
שְׁפָלִ֔ים  of  the  humble 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: שָׁפָל  
Sense: low, humble.
וּֽלְהַחֲי֖וֹת  and  to  revive 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
לֵ֥ב  the  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
נִדְכָּאִֽים  of  the  contrite  ones 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: דָּכָא  
Sense: to crush, be crushed, be contrite, be broken.