Isaiah 51:5

My righteousness draws near, My salvation is on the way, and My arms will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look for Me and wait in hope for My arm.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — God addresses His people directly, following His call for them to "pay attention" (v. 4). He is declaring the imminence of His saving action to a community in distress.

The words — יָצָא (yatsa', "it has gone out") is a perfect tense, rendering the salvation not as a future promise but as an action already set in motion.

The thread — Isaiah 46:13 repeats the same formula: "I am bringing My righteousness near; it is not far away, and My salvation will not be delayed." Isaiah 42:4 pairs the establishment of justice on earth with the islands putting their hope in God.

Why it lands — The perfect tense demands that the reader stop waiting for a signal and recognize the action as already underway. Trust here is not optimism about the future; it is acceptance of a present reality.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

קָר֤וֹבka.Rov[is] near צִדְקִי֙tzid.K/irighteousness/ my יָצָ֣אya.Tza'it has gone out יִשְׁעִ֔יyish.'/Isalvation/ my וּזְרֹעַ֖יu./ze.ro.'A/iand/ arms/ my עַמִּ֣ים'a.Mimpeoples יִשְׁפֹּ֑טוּyish.Po.tuthey will judge אֵלַי֙'e.La/ito/ me אִיִּ֣ים'i.Yimislands יְקַוּ֔וּye.ka.Vuthey will wait וְאֶל־ve./'el-and/ to זְרֹעִ֖יze.ro.'/Iarm/ my יְיַחֵלֽוּן׃ye.ya.che.Lu/nthey will hope/ !

King James Version

My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

Cross-references

Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Isaiah 46:13 I am bringing My righteousness near; it is not far away, and My salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion and adorn Israel with My splendor.
Isaiah 42:4 He will not grow weak or discouraged before He has established justice on the earth. In His law the islands will put their hope.”
Isaiah 60:9 Surely the islands will wait for Me, with the ships of Tarshish in the lead, to bring your children from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.
Romans 10:6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down)
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
Psalms 67:4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You judge the peoples justly and lead the nations of the earth. Selah
Psalms 85:9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land.
Joel 3:12 Let the nations be roused and advance to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit down to judge all the nations on every side.
Matthew 3:2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”