Isaiah 26 · Verse 9

Isaiah 26:9

With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Isaiah 26:9, King James Version

Isaiah 26:9 in other translations

BSBMy soul longs for You in the night; indeed, my spirit seeks You at dawn. For when Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.
WEBWith my soul I have desired you in the night. Yes, with my spirit within me I will seek you earnestly; for when your judgments are on the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
ASVWith my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee earnestly: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
YLTWith my soul I desired Thee in the night, Also, with my spirit within me I seek Thee earnestly, For when Thy judgments are on the earth, The inhabitants of the world have learned righteousness.
DARBYWith my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
BBEIn the night the desire of my soul has been for you; early will my spirit be searching for you; for when your punishments come on the earth, the people of the world will get the knowledge of righteousness.
WebsterWith my soul have I desired thee in the night; yes, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

What does Isaiah 26:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. With, ... soul ... I--literally, "I ... my soul," in apposition; the faithful Jews here speak individually. The overthrow of the foe and the restoration of the Jews are to follow upon prayer on the part of the latter and of all God's people (Is 62:1-4, 6, 7; Psa 102:13-17). in the night--(Psa 63:6; So 3:1). world ... learn ... righteousness--the remnant left after judgments (Psa 58:10, 11; Zec 14:16).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 Have I desired thee - Forty-one MSS. of Dr. Kennicott's and many of De Rossi's, (nine ancient), and five editions read אויתיך invithicha. It is proper to note this; because the second י yod being omitted in the text, the Vulgate and many others have rendered it in the third person. When thy judgments, etc. - It would be better to read, When thy judgments were in the earth, the inhabitants of the world have learned (למדו lamedu) righteousness. Men seldom seek God in prosperity; they are apt to rest in an earthly portion: but God in mercy embitters this by adversity; then there is a general cry after himself as our chief, solid, and only permanent good.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 26:5-11

The way of the just is evenness, a steady course of obedience and holy conversation. And it is their happiness that God makes their way plain and easy. It is our duty, and will be our comfort, to wait for God, to keep up holy desires toward him in the darkest and most discouraging times. Our troubles must never turn us from God; and in the darkest, longest night of affliction, with our souls must we desire him; and…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 26:5-11 →

Isaiah 26:9 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

נַפְשִׁ֤יnaf.Shiself myH5315
אִוִּיתִ֙יךָ֙'i.vi.Ti.khaI have desired youH183
בַּלַּ֔יְלָהba.Lay.lahin the nightH3915
אַף\־'af-alsoH637
רוּחִ֥יru.Chispirit myH7307
בְקִרְבִּ֖יve.kir.Biin inner being myH7130
אֲשַֽׁחֲרֶ֑ךָּ'a.sha.cha.Re.kaI will seek youH7836
כִּ֞יkiforH3588
כַּאֲשֶׁ֤רka.'a.Sher<just> whenH834
מִשְׁפָּטֶ֙יךָ֙mish.pa.Tei.khajudgments yourH4941
לָאָ֔רֶץla.'A.retz[are] to the earthH776
צֶ֥דֶקTze.dekrighteousnessH6664
לָמְד֖וּla.me.Duthey learnH3925
יֹשְׁבֵ֥יyo.she.Vei[the] inhabitants ofH3427
תֵבֵֽל\׃te.Vel[the] worldH8398

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 26:9

  • Matthew 6:33

    But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

  • Psalms 119:62

    At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.

  • Psalms 63:1

    A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

  • Song of Solomon 3:1-4

    By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

  • Psalms 63:6-7

    When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

  • Mark 1:35

    And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

  • Psalms 58:11

    So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

  • Luke 6:12

    And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

  • Revelation 11:13

    And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

  • Psalms 77:2-3

    In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

  • Proverbs 8:17

    I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

  • Isaiah 55:6

    Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
have I.
Ps 63:6,7; 77:2,3; 119:62; 130:6; So 3:1-4; 5:2-8; Lu 6:12
my spirit.
Ps 63:1; Pr 8:17; Mt 6:33; Mr 1:35
for.
27:9; Nu 14:21-23; Ps 58:11; 64:9; 83:18; Ho 5:15; Re 11:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 26:8

    Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

  • Isaiah 26:9

    With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

  • Isaiah 26:10

    Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord.

Read all of Isaiah 26

Isaiah 26:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Con mi alma te he deseado en la noche; y en tanto que me durare el espíritu en medio de mí, madrugaré á buscarte: porque luego que hay juicios tuyos en la tierra, los moradores del mundo aprenden justicia.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Mon âme te désire de nuit; oui, mon esprit, au-dedans de moi, te cherche diligemment; car, lorsque tes jugements sont sur la terre, les habitants du monde apprennent la justice.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Mit meiner Seele verlangte ich nach dir in der Nacht; ja, mit meinem Geiste in meinem Innern suchte ich dich früh; denn wenn deine Gerichte die Erde treffen, so lernen Gerechtigkeit die Bewohner des Erdkreises.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Anima mea desideravit te in nocte, sed et spiritu meo in præcordiis meis de mane vigilabo ad te. Cum feceris judicia tua in terra, justitiam discent habitatores orbis.