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Christmas · The Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas Day) · Year C

Isaiah 52:7-10

The Cup of the Lord’s Wrath

December 25, 2027

Jerusalem, James Fairman
Jerusalem, James Fairman, c. 1874Private collection
An American painter who travelled to Palestine in the 1870s, showing the city from the east in late light, with the walls and the Dome of the Rock across the valley.Isaiah's herald is on the mountains in sight of the city, saying to Zion, your God reigns, and this is that view.James FairmanA Scottish-born American painter and lecturer who travelled in the Near East and specialised in Jerusalem seen from a distance.Private collectionIn private hands, which is why it is seen in reproduction far more often than in the flesh.Private collection
LSB Three-Year Lectionary
GospelJohn 1:1-14 (15-18)Jn 1:1-14 (15-18)
EpistleHeb. 1:1-6 (7-12)Heb 1:1-6 (7-12)
Old TestamentIsa. 52:7-10Is 52:7-10
PsalterPs. 2Ps 2

Overview & Insights

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news.” (Isaiah 52:7)

In 50:4 the subject suddenly changes again—in two senses. The grammatical subject is once again a human “I” rather than a divine “I,” and the thematic subject is the pressure upon this human “I.” In both respects the passage parallels 49:1–6, and it will emerge that 50:4–52:12 forms a sequence parallel to 49:1–50:4, analogous to double sequences we have noted earlier in chapters 40–55. The arrangement of sections is not as tightly parallel as in earlier instances, but the parallelism again means that the second sequence develops issues raised in the first. Here, as there, that involves discussion of the role of Yahweh’s servant (50:4–11 as 49:1–6), but here the destiny of Zion and the way the destiny of the Babylonian community relates to it (51:1–52:12 as 49:7–50:3) receive more attention.

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Take it further: Isaiah 52:7-10

Commentary

Working Preacher: Commentary on Isaiah 52:7-10Working Preacher: Commentary on Is 52:7-10 Working Preacher

Lutheran lectionary commentary on the herald's feet and the Lord's return to Zion for Christmas Day.

CEP: Isaiah 52:7-10 CommentaryCEP: Is 52:7-10 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

Reformed preaching commentary on the good news of peace and salvation reaching all the nations.

Enduring Word: Isaiah 52Enduring Word: Is 52 Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's verse-by-verse evangelical notes on the whole chapter.

StudyLight: Isaiah 52:7 CommentariesStudyLight: Is 52:7 Commentaries StudyLight

Many complete commentaries gathered on this passage page.

BibleHub: Commentaries on Isaiah 52:7BibleHub: Commentaries on Is 52:7 BibleHub

Parallel classic commentaries keyed to the herald's beautiful feet.

BibleHub: Isaiah 52:7 InterlinearBibleHub: Is 52:7 Interlinear BibleHub

Hebrew text with parsing for the herald and the good-news vocabulary.

Background & Word Study

Sefaria: Isaiah 52:7-10 (Hebrew)Sefaria: Is 52:7-10 (Hebrew) Sefaria

Hebrew text with English and classical Jewish commentary on the passage.

BibleProject: Isaiah 40-66 OverviewBibleProject: Is 40-66 Overview BibleProject

Animated overview of the second half of Isaiah and its vision of comfort and return.

The Church Fathers

Catena: Isaiah 52Catena: Is 52 Catena

Patristic comments gathered verse by verse on the herald's announcement.

Questions preachers ask

What good news does Isaiah 52 proclaim?

The watchmen sing as the Lord returns to Zion and comforts his people; every end of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

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