Isaiah 51:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He uses the visible, vast sea as an illustration: I am the one who stirs up the sea and causes the waves to roar; the LORD of hosts is my name. Just as a wave occasionally swells and, propelled by the winds, crashes against the shore, only to be quickly followed by calmness and peace according to His will, He declares that with a mere wave of my hand, I can transform dire and extreme calamities into serene conditions; for by calming all disorder, I lead those who have resolved to walk in righteousness to profound joy. This sentiment resonates deeply in the psalmist's song: and the storms were quelled, and He became still, and His waves were silenced (Psalms 106:29). To assure them that His promises will indeed be fulfilled and that the aid they anticipate can never be false, He clarifies, The LORD of hosts is my name; for if He is the Lord of strength, how can He lack the power to save, or be faced with any task that could be deemed difficult or impossible for His mighty right hand? He further adds a significant assurance of His aid, indicating that their adversaries’ wrath has subsided, that the negative consequences of their rejection have ceased, and that they are now under His nurturing care, receiving the compassion and love owed to those who recognize His presence. I will put my words in your mouth. The divine David similarly expressed this, singing, 'But to the wicked, God says, 'Why do you profess my justice and take my covenant in your mouth?' (Psalm 49:16). For it is not fitting for praise to dwell in the mouth of a sinner (Sir 15:9), as is written. Thus, the thoughts of God cleanse away all that is impure and sinful, constantly reminding us of His words: 'Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks' (Matt. 12:34). It's clear to everyone that those with a wicked heart cannot utter good words. Conversely, it is proper for the saints to have the law of God in their hearts and to express it in speech. Therefore, the God of all promises to instill His words into the mouths of those who are already righteous and sanctified in faith and who have embraced the glory of holiness, so that they may always remember the divine law and recognize the path of salvation that is beneficial for them. Indeed, it is written of every righteous person that the law of his God is in his heart, and his steps will not stumble (Psalm 36:31), and again: in my heart, I have hidden your words, that I might not sin against you (Psalm 118:11). The law of God supports us in doing good and fosters an inclination toward every virtuous endeavor; it guards us from evil and significantly diverts us from the tendency to go astray. Yet, as I mentioned earlier, He speaks as if to His daughters; He promises something more: I will protect you under the shadow of my hand. This is a noble gift and an excellent boon, each sufficient for the salvation of those who have accepted it; the hand of God the Father refers to none other than His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who have submitted to Him will not be harmed by anything that typically causes harm. Rather, they will be strong and courageous, successfully overcoming every confusion and temptation, becoming invincible against Satan, above all fleshly impurities and spiritual and physical passions. To illustrate that they will be empowered by the almighty right hand of the Father, He adds: by which I have established the heavens and founded the earth; for if by the word of the Lord the heavens were created, as it is written, and the earth was set to remain unshaken, is it not powerful enough for the salvation of those who deem it essential to be under His protection? Then Zion proclaims: You are my God. Here, it seems evident that a confession of faith in Christ is clearly introduced. It is true, due to their great wickedness, they once denied knowing Christ, who performed many miracles and achieved glory through extraordinary and dazzling signs; [in truth, they did not know Him, but instead dishonored Him: for in their great foolishness and enmity against God, they audaciously declared, ‘We know that God spoke to Moses; but we do not know this man’ (John 9:29). Nonetheless, He assures that those who once rejected Him and fell into such wickedness, by articulating my words and dwelling under the protection of my right hand, will come to know the Redeemer, confessing Him, saying: 'My God, you are.' Thus, the act of salvation hinges on faith, which leads to eternal life, empowered by the proclamation of Christ.

Had I remained in your thoughts, you would never have feared men who are destined for dust. Who have you neglected? God, who has established the heavens through His great strength and laid the foundations of the earth upon a firm foundation. You have lived in fear of your enemies not just fleetingly, which might be somewhat excusable, but continually and all day, so that even with the light of faith, the shadows of fear overshadowed you, casting doubt as if your destruction were imminent.

Therefore, I ask: where is the arrogance of the persecutors? Where is the transient power with which they have threatened you with vehement tongues? My Son is soon to come, trampling down your adversaries beneath His feet, to create a path for your victory, not to annihilate those in hell, but to offer salvation to the repentant. His provision, understood through the Gospel as an essential doctrine, shall never be absent from those who seek sustenance for their spirits. He also speaks of the Son, whom He assures will soon arrive, noting that His sustenance will be unending, for in His incarnation, He is Lord and God, who stirs the seas and raises their waves, allowing the pride of those who oppose Him to rise against His servants, only to be calmed again through His assistance. He states that He has placed His words in the Son's mouth, for all that He speaks are the Father's words, and that He has covered Him with the shadow of His hand to establish new heavens, to lay the foundation for a new earth, and to call out to Zion—that is, the Church—declaring, You are My people. Thus, Zion represents the people of God.

Simmachus renders it as follows: He who comes to open shall not bring destruction, signifying that hell will soon be unsealed, yet not succumb to decay—referring to Christ, who in Psalm 15 declares, Thou wilt not abandon my soul to hell, nor allow Thy Holy One to see decay (Psalm 15:10). In the part where we have translated , I have placed My words in Your mouth, and covered You with the shadow of My hand, to plant the heavens and lay the earth's foundations and to proclaim to Zion, You are My people—he translates: I will place My words in Your mouth and cover You with the shadow of My hand, through whom You have planted the heavens and established the earth, and let Me say to Zion, You are My people.

According to the Septuagint, this message is directed to all believers, for they were created in God's image and likeness yet were unaware of their own dignity, fearing mere mortals who can only destroy the body, neglecting the truth of their immortality and failing to echo the Psalmist's declaration: The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 26:1). Also, The Lord is my helper, I shall not fear what mere man can do to me; the Lord is my aid, I will look triumphantly upon my adversaries (Psalm 117:6-7). Psalm 55:5 further reveals what man is: I trust in God, I will not fear what flesh can do to me. Thus, it is reiterated: you were afraid of mortal man and the son of man, who withers like grass, for all flesh is like grass, and its glory is as the flower of the field (Isaiah 40:6); and while fearing the power of the judge, you forgot that your defender is He who fashioned heaven and earth and every element around us, as well as those heavens that reflect the heavenly, along with the earth that brings forth the seeds of the Lord. The earlier remarks about destruction are complemented in Theodotion's edition from the Hebrew. He stirs the sea and makes its waves churn; as sung in the Psalms, Thou rulest over the raging sea; when its waves rise, you still them (Psalms 88:10). It is written in Jeremiah: Will you not fear Me, says the Lord, or be dismayed at My presence, who has set boundaries for the sands of the sea, a perpetual decree that cannot be surpassed? (Jeremiah 5:22). The seas were agitated when the Lord's nets drew a great catch of fish (Matthew 13:47). The Lord has imparted His words to the one who believes and enveloped him with the shadow of His hand. He also teaches in the Gospel, When you are brought to trial, do not be concerned about how or what you should speak; for it will be given to you in that hour what you should say. It will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you (Matthew 10:19-20). Additionally, He instructs the righteous—Open your mouth, and I will fill it. Furthermore, Open your mouth for the Word of God, for the Lord will empower those who proclaim the Gospel with great strength (Psalm 67:12). For God touched Jeremiah's mouth, declaring, Behold, I have put My words in your mouth (Jer. 1:9). He could resonate with the Psalmist's song, Grant me a new song, a song unto our God (Ps. 39:4). Who else did all this but the Lord and Savior, who created the heavens and the earth and announces to Zion, You are My people, a designation fitting the Church composed of believers from the Gentiles, and in Hosea, He promises the faithful, saying, I will call them "My people," who were not His people, and they will respond, "You are our God" (Hosea 2:23).