The Meaning of Isaiah 62:1 Explained

Isaiah 62:1

KJV: For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.

YLT: For Zion's sake I am not silent, And for Jerusalem's sake I do not rest, Till her righteousness go out as brightness, And her salvation, as a torch that burneth.

Darby: For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be still, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a torch that burneth.

ASV: For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For Zion's  sake will I not hold my peace,  and for Jerusalem's  sake I will not rest,  until the righteousness  thereof go forth  as brightness,  and the salvation  thereof as a lamp  [that] burneth. 

What does Isaiah 62:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Evidently God is the speaker (cf. Isaiah 62:6). Other possibilities are the Servant Messiah (cf. Isaiah 61:1-3) or Isaiah. Watts believed the speaker was Jerusalem"s civil administrator. [1] God assured His people that even though they thought He had been silent to their prayers for deliverance (cf. Isaiah 42:14; Isaiah 45:15-19; Isaiah 57:11; Isaiah 64:12; Isaiah 65:6), He would indeed provide righteousness and salvation for them. He would do it for the love of His people, for Zion"s sake.

Context Summary

Isaiah 62:1-12 - The Land Of Beulah
The Intercessor, Isaiah 62:1-4. Messiah is speaking here. Throughout the ages, He ever lives to make intercession. He asks that His Church may be one, that the heathen may be given Him for His inheritance, and that Israel may be restored. It is the cry of the unresting Savior. When Jesus pleads for thee, poor soul, thou canst not be desolate and forsaken. God loves, though all hate; God delights, though all abhor; God remains, though all forsake.
Intercessors, Isaiah 62:5-7. The Great High-Priest calls us to be priests. The unresting Lord calls on us not to rest. He says, "Watch with me." He gives us rest from sin and sorrow, that we may not rest from prayer. We must take no rest and give God no rest. We are to become God's "remembrancers," Isaiah 62:6, r.v.
The divine answer, Isaiah 62:8-12. To the prophet's mind the prayer is already answered as soon as spoken. Already the highway must be prepared for the return of the exiles. So to us, who have lain among the ashes, salvation comes apace. Make ready to trail thy Deliverer! Then learn to become the salt and benediction of others! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 62

1  The fervent desire of the prophet to confirm the church in God's promises
6  The office of the ministers in preaching the Gospel
10  And preparing the people thereto

What do the individual words in Isaiah 62:1 mean?

For sake of Zion not I will hold My peace and for sake of Jerusalem I will rest Until goes forth as brightness her righteousness and her salvation as a lamp [that] burns
לְמַ֤עַן צִיּוֹן֙ לֹ֣א אֶחֱשֶׁ֔ה וּלְמַ֥עַן יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם אֶשְׁק֑וֹט עַד־ יֵצֵ֤א כַנֹּ֙גַהּ֙ צִדְקָ֔הּ וִישׁוּעָתָ֖הּ כְּלַפִּ֥יד יִבְעָֽר

לְמַ֤עַן  For  sake 
Parse: Preposition
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
צִיּוֹן֙  of  Zion 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִיּׄון  
Sense: another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books.
אֶחֱשֶׁ֔ה  I  will  hold  My  peace 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: חָשָׁה  
Sense: to be silent, quiet, still, inactive.
וּלְמַ֥עַן  and  for  sake 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם  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.
אֶשְׁק֑וֹט  I  will  rest 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁקַט  
Sense: to be quiet, be tranquil, be at peace, be quiet, rest, lie still, be undisturbed.
עַד־  Until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
יֵצֵ֤א  goes  forth 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
כַנֹּ֙גַהּ֙  as  brightness 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נׄגַהּ  
Sense: brightness.
צִדְקָ֔הּ  her  righteousness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.
וִישׁוּעָתָ֖הּ  and  her  salvation 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: יְשׁוּעָה  
Sense: salvation, deliverance.
כְּלַפִּ֥יד  as  a  lamp 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַפִּיד  
Sense: torch.
יִבְעָֽר  [that]  burns 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּעַר 
Sense: to burn, consume, kindle, be kindled.