“Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee.”
My Notes
What Does Isaiah 25:3 Mean?
"Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee." After God's victory (verses 1-2 — the fortified city destroyed), even the STRONG nations glorify Him and the TERRIBLE nations fear Him. The worship isn't from the weak who had no choice. It's from the powerful who recognize a greater power. The strong glorify. The terrible fear. The most intimidating peoples on earth bow.
The phrase "strong people" (am az — a fierce/mighty people) and "terrible nations" (goyim aritzim — ruthless/terrifying nations) identify the worshipers as the last ones you'd expect: not the humble, not the oppressed, not the naturally devout — but the STRONG and the TERRIBLE. The nations known for their ferocity are the ones who glorify. The peoples known for their military terror are the ones who fear God.
The dual response — glorify AND fear — covers both worship dimensions: the strong GLORIFY (active praise, honoring God's name) and the terrible FEAR (reverent awe, recognizing God's superiority). The glorifying is voluntary worship. The fearing is involuntary awe. Both are produced by the same divine victory.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What would it take for the strongest forces in your world to bow before God?
- 2.Why is worship from the STRONG more remarkable than worship from the weak?
- 3.How does the terrible experiencing terror model the complete reversal of divine victory?
- 4.What does worship combining glorifying (voluntary) and fearing (involuntary) teach about a full response to God?
Devotional
The strong glorify You. The terrible fear You. The most powerful nations — the peoples everyone else is afraid of — bow before God. The worship doesn't come from the weak who had no choice. It comes from the strong who recognized a stronger.
The 'strong people' glorifying is the most impressive form of worship: when the weak praise God, it's expected — they needed Him. When the STRONG praise God, it's remarkable — they didn't think they needed anyone. The strong people's glorifying proves that God's victory was so decisive that even those who trusted their own power acknowledged His. The praise of the powerful is the highest compliment.
The 'terrible nations shall fear' means the terrifying are terrified: the nations that made the world tremble now tremble themselves. The fearsome are afraid. The terrible experience terror. The reversal is complete — the peoples who inflicted fear now feel it. And the fear they feel is directed at God, not at another army. The terrible nations fear the only Being more terrible than themselves.
The combination of glorify and fear represents complete worship: glorifying is the voluntary, joyful response — choosing to honor God. Fearing is the involuntary, awe-struck response — being overwhelmed by God's magnitude. True worship includes both. The strong offer the voluntary praise. The terrible experience the involuntary awe. Together, they model the complete response to divine victory.
What would it take for the 'strong' and 'terrible' forces in your world to glorify and fear God?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee,.... To whom the Lord is strength, as in the following verse Isa 25:4;…
The strong people - The reference here is not probably to the Babylonians, but to the surrounding nations. The…
It is said in the close of the foregoing chapter that the Lord of hosts shall reign gloriously; now, in compliance with…
The effect of this judgment on the heathen world. The probable rendering is, Therefore ( many) a strong people shall…
Cross References
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