Isaiah 26

“Thy Dead Men Shall Live”

A song of the strong city, perfect peace for those who trust, and one of the clearest promises of resurrection in the Old Testament.

“In that day,” the day of redemption Read with footnotes in Gospel Library

Background

Isaiah 26 is another song, “in that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah” (verse 1).

Isaiah 26 is another song, “in that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah” (verse 1). It continues the hymns of chapter 25. Where chapter 24 described the fall of the proud “city of confusion,” this song celebrates a different city, “a strong city” whose walls are salvation.

The chapter contains two passages that have comforted believers for thousands of years. Verse 3 promises “perfect peace” to those whose minds are stayed on the Lord. And verse 19 declares: “Thy dead men shall live… Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust.” It is one of the clearest statements of resurrection anywhere in the Old Testament.

The thread through the chapter

Isaiah 26 is a song about waiting on the Lord through the night, and it moves from confidence, to longing, to hope beyond death.

Isaiah 26 is a song about waiting on the Lord through the night, and it moves from confidence, to longing, to hope beyond death.

It opens with confidence (verses 1–6). There is a strong city whose walls are made of salvation, and its gates are open to the righteous. Those who trust the Lord have “perfect peace,” because He is the “everlasting strength,” literally, the “Rock of ages.”

Then it turns to longing (verses 7–18). The singers admit they are still waiting: “in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee” (verse 8). “With my soul have I desired thee in the night” (verse 9). They confess that “other lords” have ruled over them (verse 13). They have labored like a woman giving birth, and brought forth only wind (verse 18). Their own efforts have produced no deliverance.

Then comes the breakthrough (verse 19): “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust.” What human labor could not bring forth, God does. The dead are born again out of the earth like plants refreshed by morning dew.

The chapter closes with tender counsel (verses 20–21): go into your room, shut the door, and hide “for a little moment,” until the storm passes. It echoes Passover night in Egypt, when Israel stayed inside and the destroyer passed over.

The logic of the song is the logic of faith. We wait through the night, admit that we can’t save ourselves, and trust that the Lord will bring life out of the dust.

Tap any highlighted phrase to open a note beneath its versein the margin.

Verses 1–6

The strong city

In plain words

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. God makes salvation its walls and ramparts. Open the gates so the righteous nation that stays faithful may enter. You keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the Rock eternal. He humbles those who live on the heights; He brings the proud city down, down to the ground, down to the dust. The feet of the oppressed and the steps of the poor trample it.”

1 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

Restoration Insight #

Open the gates

This echoes the temple-entrance psalms, which ask who may enter the Lord’s house: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD?… He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart” (Ps.…

This echoes the temple-entrance psalms, which ask who may enter the Lord’s house: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD?… He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart” (Ps. 24:3–4; see Ps. 118:19–20).

Latter-day Saints may think of temple recommend interviews, which in a sense ask the same question at the gates of the Lord’s house. The gates are open to those who “keep the truth,” who stay faithful to covenants. Nephi taught that “the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water,” and that the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel, who “employeth no servant there” (2 Ne. 31:17; 2 Ne. 9:41).

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Liken It #

Perfect peace

This is one of the most beloved verses in Isaiah. “Perfect peace” in Hebrew is simply shalom shalom: peace, peace.

This is one of the most beloved verses in Isaiah. “Perfect peace” in Hebrew is simply shalom shalom: peace, peace. Doubling a word is Hebrew’s way of intensifying it. It’s peace upon peace, complete and whole.

“Stayed” means leaning or supported (samuk). It is related to the idea of the “stay” in Isa. 3:1. The mind that leans its weight on the Lord, rather than on its own understanding, is kept in peace “because he trusteth in thee.”

The Savior promised the same: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth” (John 14:27). The Lord told Joseph Smith, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not” (D&C 6:36).

4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Witness of Christ #

The Rock of Ages

“Everlasting strength” translates the Hebrew tsur ʿolamim, literally “Rock of ages” or “eternal Rock.”

“Everlasting strength” translates the Hebrew tsur ʿolamim, literally “Rock of ages” or “eternal Rock.” This verse is the source of the phrase in the famous hymn “Rock of Ages, cleft for me.” It is also one of only four verses where the KJV prints the divine name as “JEHOVAH” (along with Ex. 6:3, Ps. 83:18, and Isa. 12:2).

The Book of Mormon identifies the Rock clearly: “remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation” (Hel. 5:12). The Savior said, “whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock” (3 Ne. 11:39).

Sources: “Jehovah”, Bible Dictionary.

5 For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.

6 The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

Verses 7–11

Longing in the night

In plain words

The path of the righteous is level; You, the Upright One, make it smooth. Yes, Lord, walking in the way of Your judgments, we wait for You. Your name and Your renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul longs for You in the night; in the morning my spirit seeks You. When Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. But when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness. Even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and do not see the Lord’s majesty. Lord, Your hand is raised, but they don’t see it. Let them see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame; let the fire reserved for Your enemies consume them.

7 The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.

8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.

11 LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

Verses 12–18

What we could not do

In plain words

Lord, You establish peace for us; everything we have accomplished, You have done for us. Lord our God, other lords besides You have ruled over us, but Your name alone do we honor. Those others are dead and will not live again; their spirits will not rise. You punished them, destroyed them, and wiped out all memory of them. You have enlarged the nation, Lord; You have enlarged it and gained glory for Yourself. You have extended the borders of the land. Lord, in distress they came to You; when You disciplined them, they could barely whisper a prayer. Like a woman about to give birth who writhes and cries out in pain, so were we in Your presence, Lord. We were pregnant, we writhed in labor, but we gave birth to wind. We have not brought salvation to the earth, and the people of the world have not been born.

12 LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.

Witness of Christ #

Everything we have done, You did

This is a remarkable confession. Everything good that the people accomplished was really the Lord working in them.

This is a remarkable confession. Everything good that the people accomplished was really the Lord working in them. It’s the same insight Paul expressed: “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philip. 2:13).

This doesn’t erase our agency or effort. It recognizes that even our righteous works are enabled by His grace. Nephi taught, “it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Ne. 25:23). Moroni taught that it is by His grace that we can become perfect in Christ (Moro. 10:32–33). The Bible Dictionary describes grace as an “enabling power” that allows us to do good works we could not maintain on our own.

13 O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.

14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.

Word & Language #

The dead tyrants won’t rise

“Deceased” here is rephaim, a word for the shades of the dead in Sheol (see Isa. 14:9, where the same word is translated “the dead”).

“Deceased” here is rephaim, a word for the shades of the dead in Sheol (see Isa. 14:9, where the same word is translated “the dead”). The “other lords” who once ruled over Israel (verse 13) are gone for good. Their power and their memory have perished.

Watch how this line sets up verse 19. The oppressors “shall not rise.” But the Lord’s people will: “Thy dead men shall live.” The same Hebrew vocabulary is used for both, and the contrast is deliberate. Isaiah isn’t saying the wicked will never be resurrected (the Restoration teaches that all will be, John 5:28–29; Alma 11:41–44). He is saying the tyrants’ reign will never return.

15 Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.

16 LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.

18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

Verses 19–21

The dead shall rise

In plain words

But Your dead will live; together with my dead body they will rise. Wake up and shout for joy, you who live in the dust! Your dew is like the dew of the morning, and the earth will give birth to its dead. Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you. Hide yourselves for a little while until His anger has passed. For look, the Lord is coming out of His dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will reveal the blood shed on it and will no longer hide its slain.

19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

Witness of Christ #

The resurrection

This is one of the clearest promises of bodily resurrection in the Old Testament, alongside Dan. 12:2 and Job 19:25–27.

This is one of the clearest promises of bodily resurrection in the Old Testament, alongside Dan. 12:2 and Job 19:25–27. The dead will live and arise.

The phrase “together with my dead body shall they arise” is striking. In Hebrew it reads “my corpse” and seems to be the Lord speaking of His people as His own. Many readers, Latter-day Saints included, have seen in it a prophecy that the dead would rise in connection with the Savior’s own resurrection. That is exactly what Matthew records: after Jesus rose, “the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection” (Matt. 27:52–53). The risen Lord made sure the Nephites recorded Samuel the Lamanite’s prophecy that the same would happen in the Americas (3 Ne. 23:9–13; Hel. 14:25).

Restoration Insight #

Awake from the dust

“Awake and sing” is a resurrection morning image: those sleeping in the dust wake up singing.

“Awake and sing” is a resurrection morning image: those sleeping in the dust wake up singing. “Thy dew is as the dew of herbs” compares the Lord’s life-giving power to morning dew that revives plants after a dry night. “The earth shall cast out the dead,” literally give birth to them, completing the labor imagery of verses 17–18. What we couldn’t bring forth, the earth now delivers.

Moroni echoed Isaiah’s call in his final words: “Awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem” (Moro. 10:31; see Isa. 52:1–2). Latter-day revelation promises that at the Lord’s coming “they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened” (D&C 88:97; see D&C 29:13).

20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

History & Setting #

Shut the doors, as at Passover

This echoes the first Passover in Egypt. The Israelites were told to stay inside their houses, behind doors marked with the lamb’s blood, “until the morning,” while the destroyer…

This echoes the first Passover in Egypt. The Israelites were told to stay inside their houses, behind doors marked with the lamb’s blood, “until the morning,” while the destroyer passed through the land (Ex. 12:21–23). Now the Lord again tells His people to go inside and hide “for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.”

Latter-day Saints may think of the counsel to make our homes places of refuge and holiness. The Lord told the Saints to “stand… in holy places” during the calamities of the last days (D&C 45:32; D&C 87:8).

21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

Seeing Christ in Isaiah 26

Isaiah 26 is a song to Christ, the Rock of ages (verse 4), who keeps in “perfect peace” those whose minds lean on Him (verse 3). He is the one who has “wrought all our works in us” (verse 12), by the grace that enables every good thing we do.

Above all, He is the resurrection (verse 19). The people’s own labor brought forth only wind (verse 18). But Christ broke the bands of death, and because of Him “thy dead men shall live.” When He rose, the graves of the Saints were opened (Matt. 27:52–53; 3 Ne. 23:9–11). One day He will say to all who sleep in the dust, “Awake and sing.”

Liken it to yourself

What would change if my mind were more constantly “stayed” (leaning) on the Lord (verse 3)? What does my mind usually lean on instead?
Verse 9 describes seeking the Lord “in the night” and “early.” How are my evenings and mornings shaped by prayer?
Where in my life have I “brought forth wind” by trying to save myself? What would it look like to let the Lord bring forth life instead?
Who have I lost to death? How does verse 19 speak to my grief?

Worth exploring next

Resurrection in the Old Testament. Read Isaiah 26:19, Job 19:25–27, Ezek. 37:1–14, and Dan. 12:2. Then read Alma 40:19–23 and Alma 11:42–45.
Perfect peace. Compare Isaiah 26:3 with Philip. 4:6–7, John 14:27, and D&C 19:23.
Passover and protection. Read Isaiah 26:20–21 with Ex. 12:21–27 and D&C 89:21.

This chapter elsewhere in scripture

Matt. 27:52–53 — The graves opened at Christ’s resurrection.
3 Ne. 23:9–13 — The Savior asks that the fulfillment of the resurrection prophecy be recorded.

Sources & further reading

Chapter 15: Prophecies of the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times (Isaiah 24–35), Old Testament Student Manual: 1 Kings–Malachi (2003).
Donald W. Parry, Jay A. Parry, and Tina M. Peterson, Understanding Isaiah, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1998.
John N. Oswalt, The Book of Isaiah, New International Commentary on the Old Testament, 2 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986–1998.
Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1997.

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