Isaiah 41:10

Context

Isaiah 41 opens with a scene in which God summons the nations to court. God declares that He has raised up a man from the east to conquer nations (41:2-4), a figure commonly identified as the Persian king Cyrus (44:28; 45:1). While the isles and the ends of the earth tremble before this conqueror, fashioning idols and encouraging one another (vv. 5-7), from verse 8 onward God addresses His people ("But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend") and tells them not to fear. Verse 10 stands at the heart of that promise.

Interpretation

• As a promise to the covenant people: The promise is understood to rest on the covenant relationship in which God chose the descendants of Abraham and did not cast them away (v. 9). The ground for dispelling fear is not a change in circumstances but God's presence: "I am with thee."
• As applied to the individual: Christians hold that this promise also applies to believers who have become God's people in Christ, and they read it as a word to cling to amid personal anxiety and fear.
• "The right hand of my righteousness": The right hand is understood as a symbol of power and salvation, while "righteousness" is taken to express God's faithfulness in keeping His promises.

Questions Concerning Application

Because the passage was originally addressed to the community of Israel, some question whether it is appropriate to apply it directly to an individual's circumstances. Many preachers respond that the same character of God is revealed unchangingly to individual believers as well. It is also emphasized that "fear thou not" should not be used to condemn the experience of fear itself; rather, it is a word of comfort addressed to those who are afraid.

In Korean Churches

In Korean Protestant churches, the verse is frequently read during pastoral visits to the sick, in prayers for church members facing surgery, and at send-offs for those departing for military service, study abroad, and similar purposes. Several Korean gospel songs also use this verse as their lyrics.

Related Passages

• Isaiah 43:1-2
• Joshua 1:9
• Matthew 28:20
• Hebrews 13:5-6