The Meaning of Isaiah 64:9 Explained

Isaiah 64:9

KJV: Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

YLT: Be not wroth, O Jehovah, very sore, Nor for ever remember iniquity, Lo, look attentively, we beseech Thee, Thy people are we all.

Darby: Be not wroth very sore, O Jehovah, neither remember iniquity for ever. Behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

ASV: Be not wroth very sore, O Jehovah, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, look, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Be not wroth  very sore,  O LORD,  neither remember  iniquity  for ever:  behold, see,  we beseech thee, we [are] all thy people. 

What does Isaiah 64:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The prophet pled with God not to be overly angry with Israel and to put the memory of her sins behind Him. God should look on Israel in mercy simply because Israel was Yahweh"s chosen people.

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 64:9 mean?

Not do be furious Yahweh even to measure nor forever remember iniquity indeed look please Your people we [are] all
אַל־ תִּקְצֹ֤ף יְהוָה֙ עַד־ מְאֹ֔ד וְאַל־ לָעַ֖ד תִּזְכֹּ֣ר עָוֺ֑ן הֵ֥ן הַבֶּט־ נָ֖א עַמְּךָ֥ כֻלָּֽנוּ

תִּקְצֹ֤ף  do  be  furious 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: קָצַף  
Sense: to be displeased, be angry, fret oneself, be wroth.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עַד־  even  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
מְאֹ֔ד  measure 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
וְאַל־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
לָעַ֖ד  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַד  
Sense: perpetuity, for ever, continuing future.
תִּזְכֹּ֣ר  remember 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
עָוֺ֑ן  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
הֵ֥ן  indeed 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
הַבֶּט־  look 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: נָבַט  
Sense: to look, regard.
נָ֖א  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
עַמְּךָ֥  Your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
כֻלָּֽנוּ  we  [are]  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.