“Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.”
My Notes
What Does Isaiah 12:6 Mean?
Isaiah commands Zion to cry out and shout — not in distress but in celebration. The reason: great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. God is present, and his presence is cause for exuberant worship.
"Cry out and shout" — the Hebrew words describe loud, public, uninhibited celebration. This is not reserved, dignified worship. It is the kind that makes noise, draws attention, and does not care what anyone thinks.
"Thou inhabitant of Zion" — the command is to the resident, the one who lives there. The worship is not from visitors or tourists but from people who dwell in God's presence as their home.
"Great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee" — God's greatness is not distant. It is in the midst — present, near, among the people. The greatness and the nearness coexist. The Holy One is both transcendent and intimate.
Reflection Questions
- 1.When was the last time your worship was uninhibited — crying out and shouting?
- 2.What does 'great is the Holy One in the midst of thee' mean for God's nearness in your daily life?
- 3.How do you cultivate awareness of God's presence so that worship becomes natural rather than forced?
- 4.What would change if you truly believed the Holy One of Israel was in your midst right now?
Devotional
Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion. Let it out. The worship Isaiah describes is not polite or measured. It is the kind that cannot be contained — shouting, crying out, making a joyful scene.
For great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. The reason for the outburst is not your circumstances. It is God's presence. He is in your midst — right here, not far off. And he is great. Those two realities together demand a response that cannot be whispered.
In the midst of thee. Not in heaven looking down. In the midst. Among you. The Holy One — the one whose holiness makes angels cover their faces — has made his home where you live. That proximity is the cause of the celebration.
Some worship is quiet and contemplative. This is not that. This is the worship that erupts when you realize who is standing next to you. When the greatness of God and the nearness of God collide, the only appropriate response is noise.
When was the last time your awareness of God's presence made you want to shout? If it has been a while, the problem is not that he left. It is that you stopped noticing he was there.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Cry out, and shout,.... By singing aloud, with the high praises of God in the mouth:
thou inhabitant of Zion: born and…
Cry out - (צהלי tsahalı̂y). This word is usually applied to the neighing of a horse Jer 5:8; Jer 8:16. It is also used…
This is the second part of this evangelical song, and to the same purport with the former; there believers stir up…
Cry out the same word as in ch. Isa 10:30, but in a very different sense. Cf. ch. Isa 24:14; Isa 54:1.
inhabitant of…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture