Isaiah 44:23 · Bible study
Isaiah 44:23 Commentary: Creation’s Joy in Redemption
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Isaiah 44:23 calls heaven and earth to praise YHWH for redeeming Jacob.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A call for all creation, heavens, earth, mountains, forests, to rejoice because Yahweh has redeemed his people and will display his glory through them.
- Key words: רָנּוּ (shout for joy), עָשָׂה (has acted), גָּאַל (redeemed), יִתְפָּאָר (will glorify himself).
- Main debate: Whether the summons to creation is a poetic exaggeration to stress the greatness of deliverance (Barnes, Calvin) or a sign that the physical universe itself is affected by redemption (JFB, Keil & Delitzsch).
- Theological theme: Cosmic scope of salvation, God’s redemption of his people touches the whole creation and culminates in his own glory.
- Best use: A pivot text from lament to praise; suitable for teaching on the certainty of God’s promises, creation’s role in redemption, or the connection between personal salvation and cosmic hope.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O depths of the earth. Break forth in song, O mountains, you forests and all your trees. For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and revealed His glory in Israel.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Sing, you heavens, for Yahweh has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees, for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel.
KJV King James Version 1769
Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Sing, O ye heavens, for Jehovah hath done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Sing, O heavens, for Jehovah hath wrought, Shout, O lower parts of earth, Break forth, O mountains, with singing, Forest, and every tree in it, For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, And in Israel He doth beautify Himself.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Sing, ye heavens; for Jehovah hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, the forest, and every tree therein! For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Give praise, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath shewn mercy: shout with joy, ye ends of the earth: ye mountains, resound with praise, thou, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and Israel shall be glorified.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Cantad loores, oh cielos, porque Jehová lo hizo; gritad con júbilo, lugares bajos de la tierra; prorrumpid, montes, en alabanza; bosque, y todo árbol que en él está: porque Jehová redimió á Jacob, y en Israel será glorificado.
Cantai louvores, vós céus, porque o SENHOR assim fez; gritai de alegria, vós partes baixas da terra; vós montes, fazei ruídos de júbilo, também vós bosques, e todas as árvores neles; porque o SENHOR regatou a Jacó, e glorificou a si mesmo em Israel.
Cieux, réjouissez-vous! Car l’ Éternel a agi;
Jauchzet ihr Himmel, denn der HERR hat's getan; rufe, du Erde hier unten; ihr Berge, frohlocket mit Jauchzen, der Wald und alle Bäume darin! denn der HERR hat Jakob erlöst und ist in Israel herrlich.
Zingt met vreugde, gij hemelen! want de HEERE heeft het gedaan; juicht, gij benedenste delen der aarde! gij bergen! maakt een groot gedreun met vreugdegezang, gij bossen, en alle geboomte daarin! Want de HEERE heeft Jakob verlost, en Zich heerlijk gemaakt in Israel.
Cantate, o cieli, poiché l’Eterno ha operato! Giubilate, o profondità della terra! Date in grida di gioia, o montagne, o foreste con tutti gli alberi vostri! Poiché l’Eterno ha riscattato Giacobbe, e manifesta la sua gloria in Israele!
Śpiewajcie niebiosa, bo to Pan uczynił; wykrzykajcie niskości ziemi, zabrzmijcie chwałę góry, las, i wszystkie drzewa w nim; albowiem Pan odkupił Jakóba, a w Izraelu sławnym się uczynił.
Торжествуйте, небеса, ибо Господь соделал это. Восклицайте, глубины земли; шумите от радости, горы, лес и все деревья в нем; ибо искупил Господь Иакова и прославится в Израиле.
諸天哪，應當歌唱，因為 耶和華 做成這事。地 的深處啊，應當歡呼；眾山 應當發聲 歌唱；樹林 和其中 所有 的樹都當如此！因為 耶和華 救贖了 雅各，並要因以色列 榮耀自己。
Make a song, O heavens, for the Lord has done it: give a loud cry, you deep parts of the earth: let your voices be loud in song, you mountains, and you woods with all your trees: for the Lord has taken up the cause of Jacob, and will let his glory be seen in Israel.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 44:23
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Isaiah 44:23 is a poetic summons for creation to celebrate God’s redemption of his people. Barnes, Calvin, and Matthew Henry all read the address to heavens, earth, mountains, and trees as an apostrophe, a figure of speech that evokes the magnitude of the event by calling even inanimate objects to join in. The Cambridge Bible and Keil & Delitzsch observe that the verse closes a prophetic section, with the redemption already treated as accomplished: “for Yahweh has done it” treats the act as certain. Most agree that the immediate reference is deliverance from Babylon; several, including Calvin and Gill, see the Babylonian return as a type of the greater redemption through the Messiah. The consensus holds that the language expresses the certainty and glory of God’s saving act, whatever view one takes on the precise relation of creation to that redemption.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Poetic apostrophe: The call to inanimate objects is a common Hebrew poetic device, used in Psalms and prophets to stress the greatness of God’s act (Barnes, Calvin, Matthew Henry).
- Cosmic participation: The language suggests redemption affects the physical universe itself, as the creation that now groans will share in the freedom of God’s children (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Keil & Delitzsch; cf. Romans 8:20–21).
What is clear: God has redeemed his people Jacob, and this redemption is the basis for all-encompassing rejoicing, involving heaven and earth in praise of his glory.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the apostrophe to creation | All see it as a poetic device that heightens the emotional and theological impact of the announcement of redemption. | Barnes, Calvin, and Matthew Henry treat it as rhetorical hyperbole; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown and Keil & Delitzsch argue that creation literally participates in or benefits from redemption (citing Rom 8:20, 21). |
| Reference of the redemption | The immediate context points to deliverance from Babylonian exile. All agree that God's act is certain and worthy of praise. | Calvin and Gill see the Babylonian return as a type pointing forward to Messianic redemption; Barnes and the Cambridge Bible allow that the prophet may also have foreseen the greater redemption through Christ, but stress the literal historical meaning. |
| Identity of 'lower parts of the earth' | It is the antithesis of 'heavens,' signifying the lowest depths of the world, in contrast to the highest heights. | Gill interprets it as the pagan Gentile world; most commentators (Barnes, Calvin, Keil & Delitzsch) read it as the literal deep places of the earth, including caves, abysses, and foundations. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 44:23 sits at a turning point in the prophecy. The preceding verses (vv. 21, 22) call Israel to remember and return because God has blotted out their sins. Then verse 23 erupts in a burst of praise, followed by verse 24, which begins a new section about Yahweh’s commission to Cyrus (44:24, 45:25). The original audience is the community in Babylonian exile, still suffering under the consequences of their rebellion. The prophet speaks of a future deliverance as though it were already accomplished, using the Hebrew perfect aspect (עָשָׂה, gā'al) verbs to declare that God “has acted” and “has redeemed.”
Culturally, calling on the heavens, earth, mountains, and trees to praise was a familiar pattern in Israel’s worship. Psalms 96, 98, and 148 employ the same poetic device, summoning the natural world to join in acclaiming God’s kingship and acts of salvation. In the ancient Near East, nature was often personified, storms, seas, and mountains could respond to divine action. For Israel, this was not mere superstition but a confession that Yahweh is Lord over all creation. The phrase “lower parts of the earth” (תַּחְתִּיּוֹת אָרֶץ) likely refers to the deepest foundations of the world, the antithesis of the highest heavens, emphasizing that no corner of the cosmos is left out. Calvin and Barnes reject allegorizing these terms (mountains as kings, forest as people), insisting instead that this is elevated poetry calling every part of creation to exult in God’s powerful redemption.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Isaiah 44:23. The Hebrew text is well‑preserved across manuscripts, and the verse reads consistently in the major versions (Septuagint, Targum, Vulgate). The only minor difference is that the Septuagint reads “because God has had mercy on Israel” where the Hebrew has “redeemed,” but this reflects translation paraphrase rather than variant.
Reception History
From early Christian exegesis through the Reformation, this verse was often read as a prophecy of redemption through the Messiah. Gill and Calvin, along with many patristic writers, understood the Babylonian return as a type of Christ’s work; the call to creation was seen as fulfilled in the cosmic joy at Christ’s birth (the angels’ song in Luke 2) and in the hope that creation itself would be set free from decay (Romans 8). The verse has been sung in hymns celebrating Advent and Easter, especially stanzas that call on nature to rejoice. In modern theology, it is frequently paired with Romans 8 to support the theme that the whole creation eagerly awaits the revelation of God’s children.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Act of Redemption, God has done it. The redemption of Jacob (Israel) is not a future hope but an already accomplished certainty in God’s plan. The perfect-tense verbs press the point: “Yahweh has redeemed Jacob.”
- The Response of All Creation, Heavens, earth, mountains, forests are summoned to sing, shout, and break into praise. The scope of the call shows that redemption is not a private matter; it has cosmic reverberations.
- The Goal of Glory, The final clause, “he will glorify himself in Israel,” reveals the ultimate purpose: God’s own splendor is displayed through the salvation of his people. Redemption is not only for our good but for his glory.
Five-point outline
- The Certainty of Redemption (v. 23a “Yahweh has done it”), God’s promise is as good as done. The prophet speaks from the divine perspective, where the future is already settled.
- The Scope of the Call (v. 23b, c, heavens and lower parts), The invitation spans from the highest heavens to the deepest earth, showing that no part of creation is indifferent to this news.
- The People Redeemed (“Jacob”), The covenant name reminds Israel that they are chosen, formed, and rescued by a faithful Redeemer.
- The Instrument of Glory (“will glorify himself in Israel”), God’s honor is tied to the salvation of his people. He delights to show his power and love through their restoration.
- The Imperatives of Joy (sing, shout, break forth), The church is called to an active, vocal, and even exuberant response to grace.
Illustration hooks
- A town rejoicing after a hostage is freed, Neighbors pour into the streets, flags wave, car horns honk. Even the buildings seem to join the celebration. The joy of deliverance overflows and fills the whole public space.
- The response of a congregation when a long-awaited answer to prayer arrives, There is a moment when the silence breaks into spontaneous clapping or song. The room itself feels different, as if the walls are part of the thanksgiving.
- Watching a sunrise after a night of sorrow, The light creeps over the hills, birds begin to sing, and the world seem to say with creation, “New mercies have come.”
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does my personal salvation matter to the rest of the world? What difference does it make beyond my own life?
- Why would God call on rocks and trees to praise him? Isn’t praise something only conscious beings can give?
- What does it mean for God to “glorify himself” in us? Does he need our redemption to be glorious?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows that redemption is not just a private transaction between God and the individual. It is a cosmic event that draws all creation into the chorus of praise. Isaiah 44:23 invites us to see our salvation as part of a much larger story, one in which the heavens and the earth themselves have a stake.
Discussion questions
- Read Isaiah 44:23 aloud. Which parts of creation are called to respond? Why do you think the list is so inclusive (heavens, lower parts, mountains, forest, every tree)?
- The verse says “Yahweh has done it” and “he has redeemed Jacob.” How does the use of the past tense (perfect in Hebrew) affect the way we trust God’s promises for the future?
- How does this verse relate to the surrounding passage (44:21, 22, 44:24)? What does it tell us about the connection between forgiveness and joy?
- Some commentators see this language as poetic exaggeration; others believe creation actually participates in redemption (see Romans 8:20, 21). Which view resonates with you, and why?
- God “will glorify himself in Israel.” In what ways does your own church community reflect God’s glory through its life together?
- If you were to write a modern call to creation to rejoice over salvation, what images or objects would you include (tall buildings, oceans, city streets, farmland)?
- How can this passage encourage someone who feels that their struggles are invisible or insignificant to the larger world?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 69:34 | Let heaven and earth praise him; the seas, and everything that moves therein! |
| Psalms 96:11 | Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice. Let the sea roar, and its fullness! |
| Psalms 96:12 | Let the field and all that is in it exult! Then all the trees of the woods shall sing for joy |
| Psalms 98:7 | Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein. |
| Psalms 98:8 | Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together. |
| Psalms 148:7 | Praise Yahweh from the earth, you great sea creatures, and all depths, |
| Isaiah 26:15 | You have increased the nation, O Yahweh. You have increased the nation! You are glorified! You have enlarged all the borders of the land. |
| Isaiah 42:10 | Sing to Yahweh a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the islands and their inhabitants. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes insists the prophet's call to the heavens, earth, mountains, and forest is purely poetic apostrophe, not an allegory where each object stands for something else. He rejects readings that assign specific symbols to these elements, seeing them instead as sublime objects summoned to exult over Israel's deliverance from Babylon.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that the call for heaven and earth to praise serves to strengthen believers' confidence as if deliverance were already complete. He notes the mention of mountains specifically includes low places like plains and valleys, so that all creation echoes the song. The redemption of Jacob points beyond the Babylonian return to the final gathering of the Church from every nation.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The prophet's joy overflows into a lyrical summons for heaven, earth, and even the depths to celebrate Israel's redemption. Cambridge Bible reads this poetic outburst as treating God's deliverance as already as good as complete, a certainty so sure that creation itself is called to break forth in song.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Reioyce, ye heauens: for the Lord hath done it: shoute, ye lower partes of the earth: brast foorth into prayses, ye mountaines, O forest and euery tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Iaakob and will be glorified in Israel.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees the call for heaven, earth and every tree to rejoice as celebrating Christ’s redeeming work, not just the return from Babylon. The redemption typified there brings freedom from sin, Satan and death, and all God’s perfections—holiness and justice along with mercy—are glorified in saving His people.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB sees the call for nature to praise God as tied to its own coming deliverance from decay, the same redemption already secured for Israel. The progression from heavens down to the earth's deepest parts shows a deliberate descent, with every level joining the song.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch emphasize that the call for all creation to rejoice shows redemption's effects will spread to every part of the natural world. They clarify that "depths of the earth" refers to the earth's interior, not the underworld, indicating the universal reach of God's saving work in Israel.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange distinguishes between the fleshly Israel, which is rejected, and the spiritual Israel, the elect. For him, the promised water in this passage is not earthly but streams of the Spirit poured out on the elect, enabling them to fulfill what fleshly Israel could not. He notes the name Jeshurun may be a term of endear
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry stresses that the people's first duty in affliction is to remember the folly of idolatry and return to God, taking the spiritual lesson from their suffering before expecting deliverance. Their reformation, not their release, is the immediate concern.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that by calling on lifeless, senseless creatures to sing, the psalmist communicates the overwhelming greatness of God's mercy. The mercy is so vast that even stones, if they could, would break into praise.