The Meaning of Isaiah 64:1 Explained

Isaiah 64:1

KJV: Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,

YLT: Didst Thou not rend the heavens? Thou didst come down, From thy presence did mountains flow,

Darby: Oh, that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,

ASV: Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might quake at thy presence,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Oh  that thou wouldest rend  the heavens,  that thou wouldest come down,  that the mountains  might flow down  at thy presence, 

What does Isaiah 64:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The prophet called on God to make another appearance among His people, as He had done at Mt. Sinai and at other times (cf. Exodus 19:18-20; Judges 5; Psalm 18; Micah 1:3-4; Habakkuk 3). The Israelites" condition was so desperate that another special visitation from God was what they needed. The next time God did this was at the Incarnation.

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 64:1 mean?

Oh that You would rend the heavens that You would come down at Your presence the mountains that might shake
לוּא־ קָרַ֤עְתָּ שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ יָרַ֔דְתָּ מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ הָרִ֥ים נָזֹֽלּוּ

לוּא־  Oh  that 
Parse: Preposition
קָרַ֤עְתָּ  You  would  rend 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: קָרַע  
Sense: to tear, tear in pieces.
שָׁמַ֙יִם֙  the  heavens 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
יָרַ֔דְתָּ  that  You  would  come  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ  at  Your  presence 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הָרִ֥ים  the  mountains 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
נָזֹֽלּוּ  that  might  shake 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: זָלַל 
Sense: to be worthless, be vile, be insignificant, be light.