Monday, April 20, 2026

Isaiah 40:1–11

Today's passage

Today's passage is Isaiah 40:1–11, which announces God's intention to comfort His people and prepare the way for His coming glory.

¹Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. ²Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. ³The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. ⁴Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: ⁵And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken . ⁶The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field: ⁷The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people grass. ⁸The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. ⁹O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! ¹⁰Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong , and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward with him, and his work before him. ¹¹He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry in his bosom, shall gently lead those that are with young.

Isaiah 40:1–11 is a passage from the Book of Isaiah, traditionally attributed to the prophet Isaiah, addressing the people of Israel during a time of exile or hardship, likely the Babylonian exile. On a surface level, the passage is a message of comfort and hope, as God commands, "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God." It speaks of the end of suffering and the pardoning of iniquity, as well as the preparation for the Lord's coming. The imagery of a voice in the wilderness calling to "prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God" suggests a divine intervention where obstacles will be removed, and God's glory will be seen by all.

Beneath the surface, Isaiah 40:1–11 contrasts the fleeting nature of human life with the enduring word of God. The passage claims that human life is transient, as illustrated by the metaphor, "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth," while emphasizing the permanence of God's promises: "but the word of our God shall stand for ever." This underscores a theme of divine constancy against human impermanence. The leveling of mountains and raising of valleys symbolizes a profound transformation, highlighting that salvation is driven by divine initiative rather than human action, suggesting that God's plan transcends human understanding and effort.

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