Advent Season · First Sunday of Advent · Year B
Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7
Praise and Prayer
November 29, 2026
Overview & Insights
“Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down.” (Isaiah 64:1)
As the chiasm in chapters 56–66 treads its return path, the vision of the battling warrior (63:1–6) paired with the one in 59:15b–20. This prayer, then, pairs with the prayer in 59:9–15a. As the new vision was bloodier, the new prayer is much longer and more urgent. It has the features of a lament on the part of the community such as those that appear in the Psalms and in Lamentations, but like some of them (and like chapter 62) it unfolds as more of a stream of consciousness and closes with a question. It does suggest an alternating between confrontation (63:7–14, 17–19; 64:5–7) and plea (63:15–16; 64:1–4, 8–12), but elements of confession, questioning, prayer, appeal, and accusation interweave and repeat without forming a consistent pattern.
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Commentary
Isaiah 64:1-9 - Center for Excellence in Preaching Center for Excellence in Preaching
Reformed commentary on the Advent 1 lament, reading Advent hope as a prayer for God to rend the heavens.
Enduring Word Bible Commentary Isaiah Chapter 64 Enduring Word · David Guzik
David Guzik's verse study of Isaiah 64, the potter-and-clay plea for God to come down.
Isaiah 64:1 Commentaries BibleHub
Collected classic commentaries on Isaiah 64.
The First Sunday in Advent, Year B Catholic Productions · Brant Pitre
Dr. Brant Pitre reads Isaiah 63-64 as the Advent 1 first reading in its Catholic setting.
The First Sunday of Advent (Cycle B) Agape Bible Study
Catholic study of the Advent 1 readings under the theme God our Redeemer.
Background & Word Study
Isaiah 64 - Sefaria Sefaria
Hebrew text of Isaiah 64 with English and traditional Jewish commentary.
Isaiah 63:16 Interlinear BibleHub
Hebrew interlinear with parsing from Isaiah 63:16 onward.
Isaiah 40-66 Overview - BibleProject BibleProject
Animated overview of Isaiah 40-66, where these chapters of comfort and lament sit.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
What is the cry of Isaiah 64?
It is Advent's deepest prayer: that God would tear open the sky and come. The people confess their sin and appeal to the potter, “we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
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