Matthew Henry’s Modern English CommentaryIsaiah 64

Prayer for the Divine Presence; Blessings Prepared for the Saints.This passage is a heartfelt prayer asking God to come down and help His people in their time of need. The people remember how God has helped them in the past, and they ask Him to show His power again. They want God’s presence to be known by everyone, especially His enemies. They also remember that God has wonderful blessings prepared for those who trust in Him, even if no one can fully understand how great those blessings are.v. 1: The prayer begins by asking God to show Himself in a powerful way. Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence . The people want God to intervene, just as He did when He came down to deliver Israel from Egypt (Exodus 3:8; Psalm 18:9 ). They need God to act so strongly that everyone—both friends and enemies—can see and feel it.

v. 2: They pray that God’s power would be like fire that melts mountains and makes water boil. As when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil—to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence . They want God’s name to be famous, so that even those who oppose Him will be forced to respect and fear Him.

v. 3: The people remember what God did in the past. When you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence . God did miracles for Israel, especially when He delivered them from Egypt and met them at Mount Sinai. These events showed God’s power in ways no one could have imagined (Psalm 114:4; Habakkuk 3:6 ).

v. 4: They remember that God has prepared amazing things for those who trust Him. From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him . This shows that God’s blessings are greater than anyone can imagine. The apostle Paul uses this verse to describe the wonderful things God has prepared for believers in Christ (1 Corinthians 2:9 ). God’s love and plans are beyond what people can understand (Psalm 31:19 ).

v. 5: The prayer says that God is close to those who do what is right and remember Him in their lives. You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways . God wants people to obey Him with joy and to trust Him in all situations. Even when God is angry because of sin, His kindness continues. His promises never fail, and that gives hope for salvation (Psalm 89:30; Isaiah 54:7–8 ).

Confession of Sin and Plea for MercyThis section is a humble prayer to God. The people confess their sins and admit their unworthiness before Him. They recognize that their good deeds are not enough and that only God’s mercy can save them. The passage shows that we should come to God honestly, asking Him to forgive us and help us, because He is our Creator and Father.v. 6: The people admit, “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.”They say their sins have carried them away like the wind, and even the best things they do are not good enough before God .

v. 7: No one prays to God or holds on to Him. Because of their sins, God has hidden His face from them and allowed them to waste away .

v. 8: But the people remember, “O Lord

v. 9: They beg God not to be angry forever or remember their sins. They ask Him to look at them as His people and to show mercy .

v. 10: The people talk about how their holy cities, including Zion and Jerusalem, have become a desert because of their sins .

v. 11: The temple, where their ancestors praised God, has been burned down and destroyed. Everything they loved is now ruined .

v. 12: They end by asking, “Will you keep silent, and afflict us so terribly?”They want to know if God will continue to let them suffer, or if He will show them mercy again (Isaiah 64:12 ).