Old Testament · Prophecy

Isaiah 52

Beautiful Feet

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news. Break forth in singing, for the Lord has comforted His people.

King James Version BSB KJV

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.

2Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

3For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

4For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

5Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.

6Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.

7How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

8Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.

9Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

10The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

11Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.

12For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.

13Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

14As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

15So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

Understand This

Isaiah 52, explained

What Isaiah 52 is saying

Zion is commanded to awake, shake off chains, and clothe herself in splendor. The beautiful feet of the messenger announce peace and salvation—'Your God reigns!' The watchmen lift their voices together as God comforts His people. The chapter transitions into the fourth Servant Song: the Servant will be exalted yet so disfigured as to be unrecognizable.

The background behind it

The 'beautiful feet' passage (v. 7) is quoted by Paul in Romans 10:15 as the basis for gospel proclamation. The final verses (13–15) introduce the Suffering Servant poem that continues through chapter 53, forming a literary unit.

Themes running underneath

Liberation is proclaimed before it is experienced—the herald arrives with news that changes everything. The shocking reversal in the Servant preview (exalted yet disfigured) sets up the central paradox of chapter 53.

Why it still matters

Good news has feet—it must be carried to those who need it. And the gospel always contains a paradox: glory through suffering, exaltation through humiliation.

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Scripture text: King James Version — public domain.