Christmas Season · Nativity of the Lord - Day Mass · Year A
Isaiah 52:7-10
Beautiful Feet upon the Mountains
December 25, 2025
Overview & Insights
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace.” (Isaiah 52:7)
The scene belongs to the exile: a runner appears on the ridge above the ruined city, and the watchmen on the walls (v. 8) see him before they can hear him. The Hebrew participle for what he does, mebasser, is the announcing of good news, and the Septuagint renders it with the verb that later Greek writers use for preaching a gospel, which is why Paul can quote v. 7 at Romans 10:15 of Christian preachers. The content of the announcement is a single sentence, “Your God reigns,” the enthronement cry shared with the kingship psalms. What follows is a reversal of vocabulary: the ruins are told to sing (v. 9), and in v. 10 the LORD bares his arm, a fighter’s gesture stripping the sleeve, for all the nations to watch. Read at the Mass of Christmas Day, the herald’s feet are the incarnation’s, and the good news the prophet carries is the word the day is named for.
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Take it further: Isaiah 52:7-10
Commentary
Commentary on Isaiah 52:7-10Commentary on Is 52:7-10 Working Preacher
Luther Seminary commentary on the herald whose feet bring good news, the Day Mass first reading.
Isaiah 52:7-10 CommentaryIs 52:7-10 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching
Reformed preaching commentary linking the watchmen's shout, Your God reigns, to the good news of Christmas.
Enduring Word Bible Commentary Isaiah Chapter 52Enduring Word Bible Commentary Is Chapter 52 Enduring Word · David Guzik
David Guzik on the beautiful feet of the messenger and the Lord baring his holy arm before the nations.
Isaiah 52:7 CommentariesIs 52:7 Commentaries BibleHub
Aggregated classic commentary on the herald of peace and salvation on the mountains.
Background & Word Study
Isaiah 52:7 InterlinearIs 52:7 Interlinear BibleHub
Hebrew word by word with parsing for good news (mevasser), peace (shalom), and Your God reigns (malak).
Sefaria: Isaiah 52Sefaria: Is 52 Sefaria
Hebrew text with the Jewish Publication Society translation and classical Jewish commentary on Zion's comfort.
BibleProject: Book of Isaiah OverviewBibleProject: Book of Is Overview BibleProject
Animated literary overview placing this herald of good news within Isaiah's message of comfort.
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