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Isaiah 59:12
Verse
Context
Sin Separates Us from God
11We all growl like bears and moan like doves. We hope for justice, but find none, for salvation, but it is far from us. 12For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us. Our transgressions are indeed with us, and we know our iniquities: 13rebelling and denying the LORD, turning away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering lies from the heart.
Sermons





Summary
Commentary
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The people have already indicated by על־כּן in Isa 59:9 that this benighted, hopeless state is the consequence of their prevailing sins; they now come back to this, and strike the note of penitence (viddui), which is easily recognised by the recurring rhymes ānu and ênu. The prophet makes the confession (as in Jer 14:19-20, cf., Isa 3:21.), standing at the head of the people as the leader of their prayer (ba‛al tephillâh): "For our transgressions are many before Thee, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are known to us, and our evil deeds well known: apostasy and denial of Jehovah, and turning back from following our God, oppressive and false speaking, receiving and giving out from the heart words of falsehood." The people acknowledge the multitude and magnitude of their apostate deeds, which are the object of the omniscience of God, and their sins which bear witness against them (ענתה the predicate of a neuter plural; Ges. 146, 3). The second כּי resumes the first: "our apostate deeds are with us (את as in Job 12:3; cf., עם, Job 15:9), i.e., we are conscious of them; and our misdeeds, we know them" (ידענוּם for ידענון, as in Gen 41:21, cf., Isa 59:8, and with ע, as is always the case with verbs ל ע before נ, and with a suffix; Ewald, 60). The sins are now enumerated in Isa 59:13 in abstract infinitive forms. At the head stands apostasy in thought and deed, which is expressed as a threefold sin. בּה (of Jehovah) belongs to both the "apostasy" (treachery; e.g., Isa 1:2) and the "denial" (Jer 5:12). נסוג is an inf. abs. (different from Psa 80:19). Then follow sins against the neighbour: viz., such speaking as leads to oppression, and consists of sârâh, that which deviates from or is opposed to the law and truth (Deu 19:16); also the conception (concipere) of lying words, and the utterance of them from the heart in which they are conceived (Mat 15:18; Mat 12:35). הרו and הגו are the only poel infinitives which occur in the Old Testament, just as שׁושׂתי (Isa 10:13) is the only example of a poel perfect of a verb ל ה. The pol is suitable throughout this passage, because the action expressed affects others, and is intended to do them harm. According to Ewald, the poel indicates the object or tendency: it is the conjugation employed to denote seeking, attacking, or laying hold of; e.g., לושׁן, lingua petere, i.e., to calumniate; עוין, oculo petere, i.e., to envy.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
(Dan 9:5, &c.). thee . . . us--antithesis. with us--that is, we are conscious of them (Job 12:3, Margin; Job 15:9). know--acknowledge they are our iniquities.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For our transgressions are multiplied before thee,.... Not only an increase of immorality among the people in common, but among professors of religion; and as their transgressions are committed against the Lord, so they are in his sight taken notice of and observed by him, are loathsome and abominable to him, and call aloud for his judgments on them: and our sins testify against us; God is a witness against us, in whose sight our sins are done; and our consciences are witnesses against us, which are as a thousand witnesses; and there is no denying facts; our sins stare us in the face, and we must confess our guilt: or, "our sins answer against us" (c); as witnesses called and examined answer to the questions put, so our sins, being brought as it were into open court, answer and bear testimony against us; or it must be owned, our punishment for our sins answers to them; it is the echo of our sins, what they call for, and righteously comes upon us: for our transgressions are with us; or, "on us" (d); in our minds, on our consciences, loading us with guilt; continually accusing and condemning us; are manifest to us, as the Targum; too manifest to be denied: and as for our iniquities, we know them; the nature and number of them, and the aggravating circumstances that attend them; and cannot but own and acknowledge them, confess, lament, and bewail them; an enumeration of which follows. (c) "peccata nostra respondit contra nos", Montanus; "id ipsum respondit contra nos", Cocceius; "even everyone of them", so Junius & Tremellius; "peccatorum nostrorum quodque", sic (d) "super nos", Munster.
Isaiah 59:12
Sin Separates Us from God
11We all growl like bears and moan like doves. We hope for justice, but find none, for salvation, but it is far from us. 12For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us. Our transgressions are indeed with us, and we know our iniquities: 13rebelling and denying the LORD, turning away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering lies from the heart.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Intercession - Part 1
By Derek Prince23K27:42EXO 32:7ISA 53:12ISA 59:12In this sermon, the preacher discusses four important aspects of Jesus' sacrifice. Firstly, Jesus poured out his soul unto death by shedding every drop of his blood, as the scripture states that the soul of all flesh is in the blood. Secondly, Jesus was crucified alongside two thieves, fulfilling the prophecy of being numbered with the transgressors. Thirdly, Jesus bore the sins of many and became the sin offering for all of us. Lastly, Jesus made intercession for the transgressors from the cross, asking God to forgive them. The preacher also reflects on the concept of God's judgment falling upon America and shares a vivid picture of the devastation it would bring. The sermon concludes with a discussion on Moses' intercession for the Israelites when they worshipped a golden calf, highlighting the importance of intercessory prayer.
Blessed Are the Pure in Heart
By Dwight Pentecost1.6K36:33BeatitudesPSA 24:1PSA 24:3ISA 1:15ISA 59:12ISA 59:16EZK 36:25In this sermon, the speaker begins by acknowledging the poor quality of the recording but expresses hope that the message will still be a blessing. The speaker then reads from Psalm 24, emphasizing that the earth and everything in it belongs to the Lord. The sermon focuses on the theme of acceptance by God and the need for clean hands and a pure heart. The speaker also highlights the promise of salvation through the death of Jesus Christ, who is referred to as the Lamb of God.
When We Need Revival: Alienated From Brethr
By Ronald Glass6961:08:52RevivalISA 59:12MAT 6:33ACT 24:16EPH 4:30In this sermon, the preacher shares his experience of witnessing revival in a California church. The pastor of the church was burdened and heartbroken, and the congregation was filled with fault-finding and criticism. However, during a service, a layman read a scripture passage from Ephesians 4, urging the congregation to put aside bitterness and anger and to forgive one another. This humble act sparked a revival in the church, with people confessing their faults and finding relief in their souls. The preacher also shares another example of a half-night of prayer in Indiana, where hindrances to the work of the Spirit were identified through prayer. The sermon emphasizes the importance of maintaining a blameless conscience before God and men, as stated in Acts 24:16. The preacher concludes by mentioning a spiritual awakening in Western Canada led by twin brothers Ralph and Lou Souterra.
Marvelous Benefits of Repentance
By Ralph Mahoney27451:36RepentanceISA 59:12JER 17:10DAN 9:3DAN 10:5In this sermon, the preacher discusses the four benefits that come to those who truly repent. He emphasizes the importance of acknowledging sin, confessing it, making restitution, and experiencing the miraculous work of God. The preacher uses the example of Daniel to illustrate how repentance opens the ears, eyes, and understanding to receive divine revelation. He also highlights the direct line of communication with God that is established when one repents and makes things right. The sermon concludes with a call to be totally repentant and open before God, allowing His wonderful favors and benefits to pour into one's life.
Peace Through Repentance
By David Wilkerson0RepentancePeace With GodPSA 32:5PSA 51:3PSA 139:23ISA 59:12DAN 10:19David Wilkerson emphasizes the profound importance of repentance in achieving peace with God, illustrating how King David exemplified this through his heartfelt confessions and willingness to search his own heart for sin. He stresses that true repentance goes beyond merely apologizing to others; it is fundamentally about reconciling with God, who is the ultimate authority on our sins. Wilkerson highlights that acknowledging our transgressions leads to divine forgiveness and the peace that follows, as seen in the experiences of both David and Daniel. He warns against self-deception in our spiritual lives, urging believers to invite God to reveal hidden sins and to embrace the strength and peace that come from genuine repentance. Ultimately, a repentant heart is free from fear of judgment, allowing for a deeper relationship with God.
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The people have already indicated by על־כּן in Isa 59:9 that this benighted, hopeless state is the consequence of their prevailing sins; they now come back to this, and strike the note of penitence (viddui), which is easily recognised by the recurring rhymes ānu and ênu. The prophet makes the confession (as in Jer 14:19-20, cf., Isa 3:21.), standing at the head of the people as the leader of their prayer (ba‛al tephillâh): "For our transgressions are many before Thee, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are known to us, and our evil deeds well known: apostasy and denial of Jehovah, and turning back from following our God, oppressive and false speaking, receiving and giving out from the heart words of falsehood." The people acknowledge the multitude and magnitude of their apostate deeds, which are the object of the omniscience of God, and their sins which bear witness against them (ענתה the predicate of a neuter plural; Ges. 146, 3). The second כּי resumes the first: "our apostate deeds are with us (את as in Job 12:3; cf., עם, Job 15:9), i.e., we are conscious of them; and our misdeeds, we know them" (ידענוּם for ידענון, as in Gen 41:21, cf., Isa 59:8, and with ע, as is always the case with verbs ל ע before נ, and with a suffix; Ewald, 60). The sins are now enumerated in Isa 59:13 in abstract infinitive forms. At the head stands apostasy in thought and deed, which is expressed as a threefold sin. בּה (of Jehovah) belongs to both the "apostasy" (treachery; e.g., Isa 1:2) and the "denial" (Jer 5:12). נסוג is an inf. abs. (different from Psa 80:19). Then follow sins against the neighbour: viz., such speaking as leads to oppression, and consists of sârâh, that which deviates from or is opposed to the law and truth (Deu 19:16); also the conception (concipere) of lying words, and the utterance of them from the heart in which they are conceived (Mat 15:18; Mat 12:35). הרו and הגו are the only poel infinitives which occur in the Old Testament, just as שׁושׂתי (Isa 10:13) is the only example of a poel perfect of a verb ל ה. The pol is suitable throughout this passage, because the action expressed affects others, and is intended to do them harm. According to Ewald, the poel indicates the object or tendency: it is the conjugation employed to denote seeking, attacking, or laying hold of; e.g., לושׁן, lingua petere, i.e., to calumniate; עוין, oculo petere, i.e., to envy.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
(Dan 9:5, &c.). thee . . . us--antithesis. with us--that is, we are conscious of them (Job 12:3, Margin; Job 15:9). know--acknowledge they are our iniquities.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For our transgressions are multiplied before thee,.... Not only an increase of immorality among the people in common, but among professors of religion; and as their transgressions are committed against the Lord, so they are in his sight taken notice of and observed by him, are loathsome and abominable to him, and call aloud for his judgments on them: and our sins testify against us; God is a witness against us, in whose sight our sins are done; and our consciences are witnesses against us, which are as a thousand witnesses; and there is no denying facts; our sins stare us in the face, and we must confess our guilt: or, "our sins answer against us" (c); as witnesses called and examined answer to the questions put, so our sins, being brought as it were into open court, answer and bear testimony against us; or it must be owned, our punishment for our sins answers to them; it is the echo of our sins, what they call for, and righteously comes upon us: for our transgressions are with us; or, "on us" (d); in our minds, on our consciences, loading us with guilt; continually accusing and condemning us; are manifest to us, as the Targum; too manifest to be denied: and as for our iniquities, we know them; the nature and number of them, and the aggravating circumstances that attend them; and cannot but own and acknowledge them, confess, lament, and bewail them; an enumeration of which follows. (c) "peccata nostra respondit contra nos", Montanus; "id ipsum respondit contra nos", Cocceius; "even everyone of them", so Junius & Tremellius; "peccatorum nostrorum quodque", sic (d) "super nos", Munster.