Isaiah 26:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They harbor arrogant and disdainful thoughts, rebelling against God’s very authority and falsely believing that their transgressions will bear no consequences, thinking instead that they hold dominion over the earth's inhabitants. Yet, the Lord proclaims that You are the one true great and everlasting God, demonstrated through Your actions; having brought low the lofty, You have dismantled the might of the proud, humbling them to the ground as if they were entirely overthrown. This is precisely what is conveyed: even to the earth. You have allowed them to be trampled beneath the feet of the meek and lowly. And who are these meek? Are they not the faithful guardians of the Savior's teachings, striving to emulate their Lord, who beckons: Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest: take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am meek and humble in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-30). Let us also recall His proclamation: Behold, I give you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the might of the enemy (Luke 10:19). For the dragon of rebellion has been defeated; we have tread upon the asp and the basilisk, desiring to dwell in the protection of the Most High and abiding under the shelter of the Almighty, that is, Christ. He is revered in heaven; for when He proclaims the bringing forth of the firstborn into creation, He commands, And let all the angels of God worship Him (Heb. 1:6).

Notably, this is emphasized with the repetition of the phrase "will humble"—the first instance referring to the Babylonian conquest when the temple was destroyed, and the second pointing to the destruction enacted by Titus and Vespasian, whose devastation will persist until the end. His foot will trample upon it; the phrase is reiterated, adding the feet of the lowly—undoubtedly those of Christ. As stated previously, He became a refuge for the needy, a stronghold for those in dire circumstances. The feet of the lowly refer to the apostles, who, following the path of the Lord's humility, also gained the benefit of His power and, being rejected by this city, shook off the dust from their feet as a testimony. Furthermore, since the Savior taught, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 14:11), this applies not just to individuals but also to opposing forces. The Septuagint reveals that the prophet exults in God’s ability to humiliate the arrogant and dismantle the defenses of all cities, likening them to mere earth, while these defenses are trampled underfoot by the saints, the humble and gentle.