The Meaning of Isaiah 26:16 Explained

Isaiah 26:16

KJV: LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

YLT: O Jehovah, in distress they missed Thee, They have poured out a whisper, Thy chastisement is on them.

Darby: Jehovah, in trouble they sought thee; they poured out their whispered prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

ASV: Jehovah, in trouble have they visited thee; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

LORD,  in trouble  have they visited  thee, they poured out  a prayer  [when] thy chastening  [was] upon them. 

What does Isaiah 26:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The period of the judges is a good example of what the prophet wrote here. The Israelites suffered chastening from the Lord for departing from Him, but when they sought Him in their distress, even with just a whispered prayer, He saved them (cf. 1 Samuel 1:12-15).

Context Summary

Isaiah 26:11-21 - Chastened By Suffering
When God ordains our peace, a world in arms cannot disturb us. Our peace results from the conviction that God is going before us and preparing our works. But be careful to make mention of His name, that is, to give Him the glory.
Do not be afraid of your enemies. When God brings you back from the ends of the earth, He will free you from their toils and snares. Let us, as Isaiah 26:16 suggests, pour out our prayers, as a vessel its contents; though, as the Hebrew signifies, those prayers are but whispers. It is true that apart from God we work no deliverance in the earth, Isaiah 26:18, but when He speaks, even the dead live. Jesus, the resurrection and the life, speaks in Isaiah 26:19. What comfort results to those that dwell in the dust of self-abasement and despair to look up to the ever-living Christ, from whom streams of life-giving energy come to believing hearts! Arise and sing, thou broken heart: even now the stone is being rolled from the door of thy sepulcher; the morning dew is distilling upon thee. Cast out by earth, thou shalt be welcomed by heaven, and sheltered in God's secret place till the storm-burst has spent itself. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 26

1  Trust in God's Provision

What do the individual words in Isaiah 26:16 mean?

Yahweh in trouble they have visited You they poured out a prayer [when] Your chastening [was] upon them
יְהוָ֖ה בַּצַּ֣ר פְּקָד֑וּךָ צָק֣וּן לַ֔חַשׁ מוּסָרְךָ֖ לָֽמוֹ

יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בַּצַּ֣ר  in  trouble 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַר 
Sense: narrow, tight.
פְּקָד֑וּךָ  they  have  visited  You 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural, second person masculine singular
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
צָק֣וּן  they  poured  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural, Paragogic nun
Root: צוּק  
Sense: (Qal) to pour out, melt.
לַ֔חַשׁ  a  prayer 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַחַשׁ  
Sense: whispering, charming.
מוּסָרְךָ֖  [when]  Your  chastening  [was] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מוּסָר  
Sense: discipline, chastening, correction.
לָֽמוֹ  upon  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural