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Isaiah 12:4

12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

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In that day you will say, “Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on his name. Declare his doings among the peoples. Proclaim that his name is exalted!

And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

And in that day shall you say, Praise the LORD, call on his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

And in that day shall ye say, Give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name, declare his doings among the peoples, make mention that his name is exalted.

12:5 Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

What does Isaiah 12:4 mean?

Isaiah 12:4 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include יוֹם (yôwm), אָמַר (ʼâmar), יָדָה (yâdâh). It connects to 40 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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And
in
that
dayיוֹםyôwm/yome/H3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
shall
ye
say,אָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)
Praiseיָדָהyâdâh/yaw-daw'/H3034physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by wringing the hands)
the
LORD,יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
callקָרָאqârâʼ/kaw-raw'/H7121to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
upon
his
name,שֵׁםshêm/shame/H8034an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
declareיָדַעyâdaʻ/yaw-dah'/H3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
his
doingsעֲלִילָהʻălîylâh/al-ee-law'/H5949an exploit (of God), or a performance (of man, often in a bad sense); by implication, an opportunity
among
the
people,עַםʻam/am/H5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
make
mentionזָכַרzâkar/zaw-kar'/H2142properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; to be male
that
his
nameשֵׁםshêm/shame/H8034an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
is
exalted.שָׂגַבsâgab/saw-gab'/H7682to be (causatively, make) lofty, especially inaccessible; by implication, safe, strong; used literally and figuratively
call:
or,
proclaim

Commentary on Isaiah 12:4

CLARKE · whole chapter
in loc. Another MS. has it in one word, זמרתיה zimrathyah. Seven others omit יהוה Yehovah. See Exo 15:2, with Var. Lect. Kennicott. Verse 4 Call upon his name - קראו בשמו kiru bishmo, invoke his name. Make him your Mediator, or call the people in his name. Preach him who is the Root of Jesse, and who stands as an ensign for the nations. Call on the people to believe in him; as in him alone salvation is to be found. Verse 6 Thou inhabitant of Zion - Not only the Jewish people, to whom his word of salvation was to be sent first; but also all members of the Church of Christ: as in them, and in his Church, the Holy One of Israel dwells. St. Paul, speaking of the mystery which had been proclaimed among the Gentiles, sums it up in these words:" which is Christ in You, the hope of glory; whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;" Col 1:27, Col 1:28. Well, therefore, may the inhabitant of Zion cry oat and shout, and proclaim the greatness of her Redeemer. Introduction God mustereth the armies of his wrath against the inhabitants of Babylon, Isa 13:1-6. The dreadful consequences of this visitation, and the terror and dismay of those who are the objects of it, Isa 13:7-16. The horrid cruelties that shall be indicted upon the Babylonians by the Medes, Isa 13:17, Isa 13:18. Total and irrecoverable desolation of Babylon, Isa 13:19-22. This and the following chapter, - striking off the five last verses of the latter, which belong to a quite different subject, - contain one entire prophecy, foretelling the destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians; delivered probably in the reign of Ahaz, (see Vitrinya, 1:380), about two hundred years before its accomplishment. The captivity itself of the Jews at Babylon, which the prophet does not expressly foretell, but supposes, in the spirit of prophecy, as what was actually to be effected, did not fully take place till about one hundred and thirty years after the delivery of this prophecy: and the Medes, who are expressly mentioned Isa 13:17, as the principal agents in the overthrow of the Babylonian monarchy, by which the Jews were released from that captivity, were at this time an inconsiderable people; having been in a state of anarchy ever since the fall of the great Assyrian empire, of which they had made a part, under Sardanapalus; and did not become a kingdom under Deioces till about the seventeenth of Hezekiah. The former part of this prophecy is one of the most beautiful examples that can be given of elegance of composition, variety of imagery, and sublimity of sentiment and diction, in the prophetic style; and the latter part consists of an ode of supreme and singular excellence. The prophecy opens with the command of God to gather together the forces which he had destined to this service, Isa 13:2, Isa 13:3. Upon which the prophet immediately hears the tumultuous noise of the different nations crowding together to his standard; he sees them advancing, prepared to execute the Divine wrath, Isa 13:4, Isa 13:5. He proceeds to describe the dreadful consequences of this visitation, the consternation which will seize those who are the objects of it; and, transferring unawares the speech from himself to God, Isa 13:11, sets forth, under a variety of the most striking images, the dreadful destruction of the inhabitants of Babylon which will follow, Isa 13:11-16, and the everlasting desolation to which that great city is doomed, Isa 13:17-22. The deliverance of Judah from captivity, the immediate consequence of this great revolution, is then set forth, without being much enlarged upon, or greatly amplified, Isa 14:1, Isa 14:2. This introduces, with the greatest ease and the utmost propriety, the triumphant song on that subject, verses 4-28. The beauties of which, the various images, scenes, persons introduced, and the elegant transitions from one to another, I
HENRY_FULL · Isaiah 12:4–6
A Song of Praise. ( b. c. 740.) 4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord , call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. 5 Sing unto the Lord ; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. 6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. This is the second part of this evangelical song, and to the same purport with the former; there believers stir up themselves to praise God, here they invite and encourage one another to do it, and are contriving to spread his praise and draw in others to join with them in it. Observe, I. Who are here called upon to praise God— the inhabitants of Zion and Jerusalem, whom God had in a particular manner protected from Sennacherib's violence, v. 6 . Those that have received distinguishing favours from God ought to be most forward and zealous in praising him. The gospel church is Zion. Christ is Zion's King. Those that have a place and a name in the church should lay out themselves to diffuse the knowledge of Christ and to bring many to him. Thou inhabitress of Zion; the word is feminine. Let the weaker sex be strong in the Lord, and out of their mouth praise shall be perfected. II. How they must praise the Lord. 1. By prayer: Call upon his name. As giving thanks for former mercy is a decent way of begging further mercy, so begging further mercy is graciously accepted as a thankful acknowledgment of the mercies we have received. In calling upon God's name we give unto him some of the glory that is due to his name as our powerful and bountiful benefactor. 2. By preaching and writing. We must not only speak to God, but speak to others concerning him, not only call upon his name, but (as the margin reads it) proclaim his name; let others know something more from us than they did before concerning God, and those things whereby he has made himself known. Declare his doings, his counsels (so some read it); the work of redemption is according to the counsel of his will, and in that and other wonderful works that he has done we must take notice of his thoughts which are to us-ward, Ps. xl. 5 . Declare these among the people, among the heathen, that they may be brought into communion with Israel and the God of Israel. When the apostles preached the gospel to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, then this scripture was fulfilled, that his doings should be declared among the people and that what he has done should be known in all the earth. 3. By a holy exultation and transport of joy: " Cry out and shout; welcome the gospel to yourselves and publish it to others with huzzas and loud acclamations, as those that shout for victory ( Exod. xxxii. 18 ) or for the coronation of a king," Num. xxiii. 21 . III. For what they must praise the Lord. 1. Because he has glorified himself. Remember it yourselves, and make mention of it to others, that his name is exalted, has become more illustrious and more conspicuous; in this every good man rejoices. 2. Because he has magnified his people: He has done excellent things for them, which make them look great and considerable. 3. Because he is, and will be, great among them: Great is the Holy One, for he is glorious in holiness; therefore great, because holy. True goodness is true greatness. He is great as the Holy One of Israel, and in the midst of them, praised by them ( Ps. lxxvi. 1 ), manifesting himself among them, and appearing gloriously in their behalf. It is the honour and happiness of Israel that the God who is in covenant with them, and in the midst of them, is infinitely great.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Exodus 15:2

The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

Exodus 33:19

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

Exodus 34:5

And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.

1 Chronicles 16:8

Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.

1 Chronicles 25:1

Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:

1 Chronicles 29:11

Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.

Nehemiah 9:5

Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

Psalms 9:11

Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.

Psalms 18:46

The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

Psalms 21:13

Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.

Psalms 22:31

They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

Psalms 34:3

O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

Psalms 40:5

Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

Psalms 46:10

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalms 57:5

Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.

Psalms 71:16

I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

Psalms 73:28

But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.

Psalms 96:3

Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.

Psalms 97:9

For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.

Psalms 105:1

O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

Psalms 106:47

Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.

Psalms 107:22

And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

Psalms 113:1

Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.

Psalms 113:5

Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high,

Psalms 117:1

O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

Psalms 145:4

One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

Isaiah 2:11

The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 2:17

And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 12:1

And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.

Isaiah 24:15

Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea.

Isaiah 25:1

O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

Isaiah 33:2

O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.

Isaiah 33:3

At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.

Isaiah 33:5

The Lord is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.

Isaiah 40:3

The 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.

Isaiah 66:19

And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

Jeremiah 50:2

Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.

Jeremiah 51:9

We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.

John 17:26

And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Philippians 2:9

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

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Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Isaiah 12:4.

Genesis 5:29

And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.

Genesis 2:19

And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

Genesis 3:14

And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Genesis 3:22

And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Genesis 3:9

And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

Genesis 4:1

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

Genesis 4:17

And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

Genesis 4:25

And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

Frequently asked questions

What does Isaiah 12:4 say?

Isaiah 12:4 (King James Version) reads: "And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted."

Is Isaiah 12:4 in the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 12:4 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.

Reflect

As you read Isaiah 12:4, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

Plan a sermon or study on Isaiah 12:4
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