The Meaning of Isaiah 64:7 Explained

Isaiah 64:7

KJV: And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

YLT: And there is none calling in Thy name, Stirring up himself to lay hold on Thee, For Thou hast hid Thy face from us, And thou meltest us away by our iniquities.

Darby: and there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hidden thy face from us, and hast caused us to melt away through our iniquities.

ASV: And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us by means of our iniquities.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And [there is] none that calleth  upon thy name,  that stirreth up  himself to take hold  of thee: for thou hast hid  thy face  from us, and hast consumed  us, because  of our iniquities. 

What does Isaiah 64:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Furthermore, none of the Israelites felt concerned enough about their sinful condition to seek the Lord, and to try to lay hold of Him in prayer. This was understandable, since God had hidden Himself from His people; they saw no hope that He would respond, even if they should now pray (cf. Isaiah 59:16; Isaiah 63:5).

Context Summary

Isaiah 64:1-12 - A Cry For Pardon
The great past, Isaiah 64:1-5. We are introduced to the prophet's oratory and hear the outpourings of his heart. As he recalls the story of bygone days, he asks that God would do as He had done. It is as easy for God to rend the heavens as for us to tear a piece of cloth: and great mountains of difficulty dissolve before Him, as a pyramid of snow in a thaw. God works while we wait. When there is no sign of His help, He is hastening toward us. If you go out to meet Him, He will quicken His pace, and run to embrace you. These are God's ways and in them there is everlasting continuance. See Malachi 3:6.
Confession and prayer, Isaiah 64:6-12. The leper, the foul garment, the fading leaf fleeing before the autumn gusts-such emblems become us. If our righteousnesses are black, what must not our sins be! We need Him who comes not with water only, but with water and with blood. See 1 John 5:6. Perhaps our greatest sin is our prayerlessness. We do not stir ourselves up to it. God cannot refrain His mercy, if we cannot refrain our tears! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 64

1  The church prays for the illustration of God's power
4  Celebrating God's mercy, it makes confession of their natural corruptions
9  It complains of their afflictions

What do the individual words in Isaiah 64:7 mean?

And [here is] no one who calls on Your name who stirs himself up to take hold of You for You have hidden Your face from us and have consumed us because of our iniquities
וְאֵין־ קוֹרֵ֣א בְשִׁמְךָ֔ מִתְעוֹרֵ֖ר לְהַחֲזִ֣יק בָּ֑ךְ כִּֽי־ הִסְתַּ֤רְתָּ פָנֶ֙יךָ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וַתְּמוּגֵ֖נוּ בְּיַד־ עֲוֺנֵֽנוּ

וְאֵין־  And  [here  is]  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
קוֹרֵ֣א  who  calls 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
בְשִׁמְךָ֔  on  Your  name 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
מִתְעוֹרֵ֖ר  who  stirs  himself  up 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עוּר 
Sense: to rouse oneself, awake, awaken, incite.
לְהַחֲזִ֣יק  to  take  hold 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
בָּ֑ךְ  of  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
הִסְתַּ֤רְתָּ  You  have  hidden 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סָתַר  
Sense: to hide, conceal.
פָנֶ֙יךָ֙  Your  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
מִמֶּ֔נּוּ  from  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
וַתְּמוּגֵ֖נוּ  and  have  consumed  us 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common plural
Root: מוּג  
Sense: to melt, cause to melt.
בְּיַד־  because 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
עֲוֺנֵֽנוּ  of  our  iniquities 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, first person common plural
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.