The Meaning of Isaiah 63:15 Explained

Isaiah 63:15

KJV: Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?

YLT: Look attentively from the heavens, And see from Thy holy and beauteous habitation, Where is Thy zeal and Thy might? The multitude of Thy bowels and Thy mercies Towards me have refrained themselves.

Darby: Look down from the heavens, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory! Where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy tender mercies? Are they restrained toward me?

ASV: Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where are thy zeal and thy mighty acts? the yearning of thy heart and thy compassions are restrained toward me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Look down  from heaven,  and behold  from the habitation  of thy holiness  and of thy glory:  where [is] thy zeal  and thy strength,  the sounding  of thy bowels  and of thy mercies  toward me? are they restrained? 

What does Isaiah 63:15 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Isaiah called on God to condescend to look down from His holy and glorious habitation, heaven, on His miserable chosen people below (cf. 1 Kings 8:44-53). The prophet could see no evidence of His zeal and mighty deeds for them. Even His affection and compassion for them were hidden from view (cf. Psalm 22:1). The poet knew of God"s commitment to His people ( Isaiah 63:7-14), but he saw no evidence of it.

Context Summary

Isaiah 63:10-19 - Salvation Obstructed By Rebellion
The exhortation of the Apostle against grieving the Holy Spirit is based on Isaiah 63:10. See Ephesians 4:30. There is no limit to the gracious work which the Holy Spirit will do in and for us, if only we will take jealous care of our behavior toward Him. Be especially heedful about thy speech! The least uncharitableness hurts Him, as frost the spring-blossoms.
But God never forgets the blessed past and labors to restore it. See what He will do! His power shall work through a human wrist, Isaiah 63:12. Before Him the waters part and leave a path for His chosen. All that would cause us to stumble is taken out of the way and we are led as on a level plain. As cattle descend into the hollows of the hills at noon, to escape the sultry heat, so will God's Spirit cause us to rest. Oh, claim that these promises be realized! He is Father, Redeemer, the Eternal, the Lover of souls! Even when we believe not and have forfeited all claim on Him, He remaineth faithful and cannot deny Himself! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 63

1  Christ shows who he is
2  What his victory over his enemies
7  And what his mercy toward his church
10  In his just wrath he remembers his free mercy
15  The church, in her prayer
17  And complaint, professes her faith

What do the individual words in Isaiah 63:15 mean?

Look down from heaven and see from Your habitation holy and glorious where [are] Your zeal and Your strength the yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me Are they restrained
הַבֵּ֤ט מִשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וּרְאֵ֔ה מִזְּבֻ֥ל קָדְשְׁךָ֖ וְתִפְאַרְתֶּ֑ךָ אַיֵּ֤ה קִנְאָֽתְךָ֙ וּגְב֣וּרֹתֶ֔ךָ הֲמ֥וֹן מֵעֶ֛יךָ וְֽרַחֲמֶ֖יךָ אֵלַ֥י ؟ הִתְאַפָּֽקוּ

הַבֵּ֤ט  Look  down 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: נָבַט  
Sense: to look, regard.
מִשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙  from  heaven 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וּרְאֵ֔ה  and  see 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
מִזְּבֻ֥ל  from  Your  habitation 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: זְבֻל 
Sense: exalted, residence, elevation, lofty abode, height, habitation.
קָדְשְׁךָ֖  holy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
וְתִפְאַרְתֶּ֑ךָ  and  glorious 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: תִּפְאֶרֶת  
Sense: beauty, splendour, glory.
אַיֵּ֤ה  where  [are] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: אַיֵּה  
Sense: where?.
קִנְאָֽתְךָ֙  Your  zeal 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קִנְאָה  
Sense: ardour, zeal, jealousy.
וּגְב֣וּרֹתֶ֔ךָ  and  Your  strength 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: גְּבוּרָה  
Sense: strength, might.
הֲמ֥וֹן  the  yearning 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הָמֹון 
Sense: (Qal) murmur, roar, crowd, abundance, tumult, sound.
מֵעֶ֛יךָ  of  Your  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מֵעֶה  
Sense: internal organs, inward parts, bowels, intestines, belly.
וְֽרַחֲמֶ֖יךָ  and  Your  mercies 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רַחַם 
Sense: womb.
אֵלַ֥י  toward  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
؟ הִתְאַפָּֽקוּ  Are  they  restrained 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָפַק  
Sense: to hold, be strong, restrain, hold back.