Isaiah 26:1-16: a reflection

1In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks. 2Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith. 3You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you. 4Trust in the LORD forever; for in the LORD, the LORD, is an everlasting Rock. 5For he has brought down those who dwell on high, the lofty city. He lays it low. He lays it low even to the ground. He brings it even to the dust. 6The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy.” 7The way of the just is uprightness. You who are upright make the path of the righteous level. 8Yes, in the way of your judgments, LORD, we have waited for you. Your name and your renown are the desire of our soul. 9With my soul I have desired you in the night. Yes, with my spirit within me I will seek you earnestly; for when your judgments are on the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. 10Let favor be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness. In the land of uprightness he will deal wrongfully, and will not see the LORD’s majesty. 11LORD, your hand is lifted up, yet they don’t see; but they will see your zeal for the people and be disappointed. Yes, fire will consume your adversaries. 12LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have also done all our work for us. 13LORD our God, other lords besides you have had dominion over us, but we will only acknowledge your name. 14The dead shall not live. The departed spirits shall not rise. Therefore you have visited and destroyed them, and caused all memory of them to perish. 15You have increased the nation, O LORD. You have increased the nation! You are glorified! You have enlarged all the borders of the land. 16LORD, in trouble they have visited you. They poured out a prayer when your chastening was on them.

In the midst of a song of trust, Isaiah gives one of the most comforting promises in Scripture: You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for in the LORD, the LORD, is an everlasting Rock. The secret of this deep peace is a mind stayed on God, fixed on him in trust; and the ground of it is that God is an everlasting Rock, unchanging and sure, in whom we can trust forever.

Notice the connection between where our minds rest and the peace we have. The peace promised here is not for those whose circumstances are easy, but for those whose minds are stayed on God, fixed on him rather than on their troubles, resting in trust rather than churning in anxiety. A mind that dwells on its fears finds no peace; a mind stayed on God, trusting him, is kept in perfect peace. Peace follows the direction of our attention and our trust.

That shows us where peace is found, and how. When we are anxious and troubled, our minds tend to fix on the trouble, turning it over and over, and so we find no peace. But God promises peace to the mind stayed on him, fixed on his character and his faithfulness, resting in trust. The way to peace is not to fix our minds on our problems, but to stay them on God, the everlasting Rock. When your heart is anxious, do not let your mind dwell endlessly on your troubles; stay it on God, fix your thoughts on him, and trust him. He keeps in perfect peace the mind stayed on him. Trust in the LORD, the everlasting Rock, and let your mind rest on him, and find the peace he gives.

Lord, Isaiah promises that you keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you, for in you is an everlasting Rock. Show me where peace is found. The peace you promise is not for those whose circumstances are easy, but for those whose minds are stayed on you, fixed on you rather than on their troubles, resting in trust rather than churning in anxiety. A mind that dwells on its fears finds no peace; a mind stayed on you, trusting you, is kept in perfect peace. When I am anxious and troubled, my mind tends to fix on the trouble, turning it over and over, and so I find no peace. Help me instead to stay my mind on you, fixed on your character and your faithfulness, resting in trust. When my heart is anxious, keep me from dwelling endlessly on my troubles; help me stay my mind on you, the everlasting Rock, and trust you. Keep me in perfect peace as I fix my thoughts on you.