“Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.”
My Notes
What Does Isaiah 51:7 Mean?
God encourages those who know him not to fear human opposition: hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
Hearken unto me — the command to listen comes from God himself. The audience is specific: those who already know him. The listening is commanded because the people who know God are tempted to fear human opinion more than divine truth.
Ye that know righteousness (tsedek — rightness, moral alignment with God's character) — the audience knows what is right. They are not confused about truth. They understand righteousness — they perceive it, they practice it, they align their lives with it. The problem is not ignorance. It is fear.
The people in whose heart is my law (torah — instruction, teaching, the revealed will of God) — God's law is not just in their books. It is in their hearts. The internalization of God's word is the mark of the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:33). These are people whose inner life has been shaped by divine truth. The law is written inside — it is part of who they are.
Fear ye not the reproach (cherpah — disgrace, insult, shame heaped upon by others) of men — the command: do not fear what people say about you. The reproach is real — people are shaming them, insulting them, heaping disgrace on them for their faithfulness. But the command says: do not let that reproach produce fear. The opinion of men does not outweigh the truth of God.
Neither be ye afraid of their revilings (giddupim — blasphemies, cutting words, verbal attacks) — the revilings are sharper than reproach — cutting, attacking, designed to wound. The word describes verbal assaults aimed at destroying faith and resolve. And God says: do not be afraid of them.
Verse 8 provides the reason: the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever. The reproachers are temporary. Their words dissolve like moth-eaten fabric. But God's righteousness is eternal. The fear of human reproach is disproportionate: you are fearing what will disintegrate while serving what will last forever.
The logic: if God's law is in your heart and God's righteousness is eternal — why would you fear the words of people who will be consumed like moth-eaten cloth?
Reflection Questions
- 1.Why does God address this command specifically to those who 'know righteousness' and have his law in their hearts?
- 2.How does verse 8 (moth-eaten garment, worm-eaten wool) reframe the permanence of human reproach?
- 3.What is the difference between the temporary reproach of men and the eternal righteousness of God — and how should that difference affect your fear?
- 4.Whose reproach are you currently afraid of — and how does this verse call you to release that fear?
Devotional
Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. The people who are shaming you — the ones attacking your faith, mocking your convictions, heaping disgrace on you for following God — do not fear them. Their reproach is real. Their words cut. The revilings are designed to make you question whether faithfulness is worth it. And God says: do not be afraid.
Ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law. God is not speaking to people who are confused about truth. He is speaking to people who know — who have God's law written on their hearts, who understand righteousness, who are living according to what they know is right. The problem is not that they doubt the truth. The problem is that the truth is being mocked — and the mockery is producing fear.
Fear ye not. The command is direct because the fear is real. When people ridicule your faith, shame your convictions, and attack your character because of your obedience to God — fear is the natural response. Am I wrong? Is this worth it? Should I tone it down? God answers every question with the same command: do not fear. Their reproach does not define your reality. My law in your heart does.
The moth shall eat them up like a garment (v.8). The reproachers are temporary. The people whose words terrify you right now will be consumed — the way a moth eats through fabric, the way a worm eats through wool. Quietly. Completely. Irreversibly. The voices that seem so powerful are made of material that disintegrates.
But my righteousness shall be for ever (v.8). The contrast that eliminates the fear: their words are moth-food. God's righteousness is eternal. The thing you fear will not last. The thing you serve will never end. The reproach is temporary. The truth in your heart is permanent. The ratio between the two makes the fear irrational — you are fearing what is already being consumed while serving what never expires.
Whose words are you afraid of? Whose reproach is shaping your behavior more than God's law in your heart? The moths are already at work on their words. God's righteousness is still standing. Fear the one that lasts.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness,.... The righteousness of God, and of his law; the purity of his nature,…
Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness - My people who are acquainted with my law, and who are to be saved. This is…
Both these proclamations, as I may call them, end alike with an assurance of the perpetuity of God's righteousness and…
In the hope of this everlasting salvation the true Israelites may well endure for a season the reproach of men.
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture