“I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;”
My Notes
What Does Isaiah 51:12 Mean?
God declares himself the comforter — I, even I, am he that comforteth you. The repetition of I emphasizes divine initiative. The comfort is not something you seek from various sources. It comes from God himself. He is the comforter.
Then a question: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die? God challenges the fear with a comparison. The man you fear is mortal — he will die. He is grass — temporary, fading. Why do you fear something so perishable?
The fear is exposed as disproportionate. You fear a man who will become grass. Meanwhile, the God who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth is the one comforting you. The scale is absurd — fearing the mortal while the immortal stands beside you.
"And forgettest the LORD thy maker" — the fear of humans is connected to forgetting God. When you remember who made you and who comforts you, the fear of mortals shrinks to its proper size.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does comparing your fear of people to God's identity as creator expose the disproportionality?
- 2.Who are you currently afraid of — and how does their mortality change the equation?
- 3.How does forgetting God lead to fearing humans?
- 4.What would remembering 'the LORD thy maker' do to the specific fear you carry today?
Devotional
I, even I, am he that comforteth you. God says it twice — I, even I. He is making sure you hear it. The comfort is not coming from a secondary source. It is coming from God himself.
Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die? The question is meant to expose the absurdity. The person you are afraid of is mortal. Temporary. Grass that will wither. Why have you given that person the power to terrify you?
And forgettest the LORD thy maker, which hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth. The one comforting you made the universe. Stretched out the heavens. Laid the earth's foundations. And you are afraid of someone who will become grass?
The fear of people is always connected to forgetting God. When you remember who is with you — the maker of heaven and earth, the one who comforts you personally — the mortal threats lose their power.
Who are you afraid of right now? A boss? A critic? An enemy? They will die. They are grass. The one who stands with you stretched out the heavens. Let the comparison do its work.
Fear shrinks when you remember who your comforter is.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
I, even I, am he that comforteth you,.... This is an answer to the prayer of the prophet, or the church by him, in which…
I even I am he that comforteth you - The word ‘I’ is repeated here to give emphasis to the passage, and to impress…
In these verses we have,
I. A prayer that God would, in his providence, appear and act for the deliverance of his people…
Jehovah again speaks as the comforter of His people. That the passage is a direct answer to the importunate appeal of…
Cross References
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