Time after Pentecost · Proper 13 · Year A
Isaiah 55:1-5
Invitation to the Thirsty
August 2, 2026
Overview & Insights
“Seek the Lord while he may be found, call on him while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)
An Invitation to Sing: Once again a return to a focus on Ms Jerusalem follows the servant passage, as happened after 49:1–6 and 50:4–11. There were hints there that Ms Jerusalem’s restoration was the correlate of Ms Babylon’s humiliation in chapter 47. Chapter 54 is the systematic exposition of that theme. The prophet takes up five images of Ms Jerusalem which once again resume the themes of the people’s prayers (we are like a childless and abandoned woman, the victim of angry abuse—literally, we are a battered and insecure city) before coming to a striking conclusion.
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Commentary
Working Preacher: Commentary on Isaiah 55:1-5 Working Preacher
Lutheran lectionary commentary on the free invitation to the thirsty for Year A.
Enduring Word: Isaiah 55 Enduring Word · David Guzik
David Guzik's verse-by-verse evangelical notes on the whole chapter.
StudyLight: Isaiah 55 Commentaries StudyLight
Many complete commentaries on Isaiah 55 gathered on one passage page.
BibleHub: Commentaries on Isaiah 55:1 BibleHub
Parallel classic commentaries keyed to the call to come and buy without money.
Background & Word Study
Enter the Bible: Isaiah Enter the Bible
Luther Seminary's scholarly introduction to the book of Isaiah.
BibleProject: Isaiah 40-66 Overview BibleProject
Animated overview of the second half of Isaiah and its message of comfort.
Sefaria: Isaiah 55 (Hebrew) Sefaria
Hebrew text with English and classical Jewish commentary on the chapter.
BibleHub: Isaiah 55 Interlinear BibleHub
Hebrew-English interlinear for word-level study of the chapter.
Questions preachers ask
What does Isaiah 55 invite?
The chapter calls the thirsty to come to the Lord for free grace, and here urges seeking him while he is near, for his thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8–9). Mercy is held out to all who turn.
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