Isaiah 51:9
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?
Original Language Analysis
לִבְשִׁי
put on
H3847
לִבְשִׁי
put on
Strong's:
H3847
Word #:
3 of 18
properly, wrap around, i.e., (by implication) to put on a garment or clothe (oneself, or another), literally or figuratively
עֹז֙
strength
H5797
עֹז֙
strength
Strong's:
H5797
Word #:
4 of 18
strength in various applications (force, security, majesty, praise)
זְר֣וֹעַ
O arm
H2220
זְר֣וֹעַ
O arm
Strong's:
H2220
Word #:
5 of 18
the arm (as stretched out), or (of animals) the foreleg; figuratively, force
יְהוָ֔ה
of the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֔ה
of the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
6 of 18
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
כִּ֣ימֵי
days
H3117
כִּ֣ימֵי
days
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
8 of 18
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
קֶ֔דֶם
as in the ancient
H6924
קֶ֔דֶם
as in the ancient
Strong's:
H6924
Word #:
9 of 18
the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the east) or time (antiquity); often used adverbially (before, anciently, eastward)
דֹּר֖וֹת
in the generations
H1755
דֹּר֖וֹת
in the generations
Strong's:
H1755
Word #:
10 of 18
properly, a revolution of time, i.e., an age or generation; also a dwelling
עוֹלָמִ֑ים
of old
H5769
עוֹלָמִ֑ים
of old
Strong's:
H5769
Word #:
11 of 18
properly, concealed, i.e., the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e., (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial
הֲל֥וֹא
H3808
הֲל֥וֹא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
12 of 18
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
הִ֛יא
H1931
הִ֛יא
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
14 of 18
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
הַמַּחְצֶ֥בֶת
Art thou not it that hath cut
H2672
הַמַּחְצֶ֥בֶת
Art thou not it that hath cut
Strong's:
H2672
Word #:
15 of 18
to cut or carve (wood, stone or other material); by implication, to hew, split, square, quarry, engrave
Cross References
Isaiah 52:1Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.Isaiah 27:1In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.Psalms 89:10Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.Isaiah 30:7For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.Isaiah 51:17Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.Psalms 44:1We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.Job 26:12He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.Ezekiel 29:3Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself.Psalms 7:6Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded.Isaiah 62:8The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:
Historical Context
The 'arm of the LORD' crushed Egypt at the Red Sea and will be revealed in Christ (53:1). This prayer from exile anticipates a new exodus through return from Babylon, ultimately fulfilled in Christ delivering from sin and death.
Questions for Reflection
- How does recounting God's 'ancient days' deliverances strengthen your prayer for present needs?
- What does it mean to pray for God's 'arm' to awake and work powerfully on your behalf?
Analysis & Commentary
The prayer 'Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD' uses anthropomorphic language depicting God as needing arousal - actually expressing urgent longing for deliverance. The reference to 'ancient days' and 'Rahab' (Egypt, per Psalm 87:4) recalls Exodus deliverance, establishing precedent for present request. This models prayer grounded in rehearsing God's past mighty acts as basis for confidence in future intervention.