What Does Isaiah 56:1 Mean?
Thus says the LORD, Guard the judgment and do alignment, for my deliverance is near to come, and my alignment to be uncovered.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.THE KEY
Justice is already bound to deliverance: as you guard judgment and enact alignment, deliverance draws near and alignment comes into view.
THE MEANING
In your present life, judgment is something you keep watch over and alignment something you enact, while deliverance draws near and alignment comes into view. What is approaching is already connected to what you guard and do now.
THE ROOT
יְשׁוּעָתִי
yeshuati
GROWS FROM
ישע
y-sh-ʿ
deliver, rescue, bring out
The word translated “salvation” carries the sense of deliverance: movement out of what confines and into spaciousness. Here that deliverance is near, while the verse’s alignment is still coming into view.
ALSO GROWS
yeshuah: deliverance
יְשׁוּעָה
This is the noun form that echoes the verse’s approaching deliverance.
moshia: deliverer
מוֹשִׁיעַ
This branch names the one who brings deliverance, making the verse’s near arrival feel active rather than abstract.
צְדָקָה
tsedaqah
GROWS FROM
צדק
ts-d-q
be right, just, or aligned
The same root appears in words for what is right and for the person who is aligned. The verse holds alignment both as something enacted now and as something about to be uncovered.
ALSO GROWS
tsedeq: justice, what is right
צֶדֶק
This branch links the verse’s call to do justice with its promise that alignment will be revealed.
tsaddiq: one who is just or aligned
צַדִּיק
This branch shows alignment as a lived quality, not only an abstract standard.
שִׁמְרוּ
shimru
GROWS FROM
שמר
sh-m-r
guard, keep watch
“Guard” in this verse is shimru. “Keep” here carries the image of guarding and watching over judgment. Paired with doing justice, it joins attentive protection with visible action.
ALSO GROWS
shomer: a keeper or watcher
שֹׁמֵר
This branch makes the watchful sense of keeping judgment concrete.
mishmeret: a charge, watch, or guard duty
מִשְׁמֶרֶת
This branch carries the sense of something entrusted to be watched over, like judgment in the verse.
THE PATTERN
Deliverance draws near as justice is enacted and alignment is brought into view.
My alignment is near. My deliverance has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples. The coastlands will wait for me, and for my arm they will wait.The LORD makes his deliverance known. He uncovers his alignment before the eyes of the nations.For in it the alignment of God is unveiled, from trust into trust, as it is written, "The aligned one shall live from trust."THE THREAD
The LORD makes his deliverance known. He uncovers his alignment before the eyes of the nations.This verse pairs the same roots for deliverance and alignment. Isaiah says deliverance draws near as alignment is uncovered; the psalm says deliverance is made known as alignment is shown openly.
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