What does it mean that God will strengthen you (Isaiah 41:10)?

(Vv. 8, 9). In the verses that follow (8–20) we see the glory of God maintained in His dealings in grace with Israel. With the words “But thou Israel” God turns from the Gentiles to address the Jewish nation. However much they have failed and come under the governmental dealings of God for their idolatry, yet they are the people of God’s sovereign choice, the seed of Abraham the friend of God, “called” out from the great ones of the earth, and “chosen” to be God’s servant to witness for Him. God may, indeed, chasten His people but He will not cast them off.

(V. 10). In view of their failure they have come under the judgment of God, but in view of the sovereign choice of God they will, in the end, be blessed. But their blessing depends wholly upon God and His grace. Thus God can say, “I am with thee”; “I am thy God”; “I will strengthen thee”; “I will uphold thee.”

(Vv. 11–13). Moreover, we are definitely told that all the nations that oppose Israel will ultimately be ashamed, confounded, and perish. Those that war against Israel will come to “nothing.” Not indeed that Israel has any strength, but because the LORD, Israel’s God, will “hold,” and “help” Israel.

Verses 116 and 117 carry the theme of this section of eight verses: “Uphold me,” “Hold… me up.” The Word of God gives us the support we need day by day to live the Christian life. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness” (Isa. 41:10). What a wonderful promise for us to lay hold of! He who gives life, also sustains it. We are “kept by the power of God” (1 Peter 1:5). Indeed, all our springs are in Him. Our sufficiency is of God. If we trust in His precious Word we will never be put to shame.

We have an illustration of this in the concluding portion of this parenthetical history. In chapters 36, 37, the uncircumcised thunders at the gates of Jerusalem, Hezekiah is not dismayed. He sanctifies the Lord God of Israel in his heart, and in place of crying for being overcome is compassed about with songs of deliverance. With crippled Jacob "by his strength he has power with God." The letter of the invader, with all its boastings, all its threats, all its scoffs, all its revilings, is laid down quietly before the Lord; it has reached the right address, for the Lord declares concerning its writer, "I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against Me. Because thy rage against Me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore [undertaking the answer] I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest." As David, a "dead dog" in his own eyes; as Paul, in that time of trouble which came upon him in Asia, having the sentence of death in himself, in company with all those obtainers of a divine good report, of whom the world was not worthy, "Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens." This Israelite, indeed, takes hold of the strength of the mighty God of Jacob, "believes that He is," and so believing is upheld by the right hand of His righteousness. "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God." The incensed waves of the strong and many waters of the Assyrian river have overflowed, and go over the land, whence is faith's expectation. "Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I;" they toss themselves and foam, but they are broken, and come to nought. The stretching forth of the wings fill the breadth of the land, but the name of Immanuel is written upon that land. In the time of the flood, there is a standard; in the day of battle, a strong tower. "God is with us."

Hence the suitability here of confronting in this very connection "Jehovah, the first, and with the last," the One Who had wrought and spoken. Why were the gods of the nations silent and powerless? why were the boasted oracles dumb? If the fall of Judah, moral necessity as it was (unless Jehovah must sanction His own dishonour in the midst of His people, and sustain them to give His glory to a graven image), made His power questionable in a Gentile's eyes, let them learn in the downfall of Babylon, which the Jews alone knew generations beforehand, even to the name and race of him who was its instrument, that His righteousness and wisdom were no less than His power, and that the chastised Jews were the people of His choice. "The isles saw [it] and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came. They helped every one his neighbour, and [each] said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the founder, he that smoothes [with] the hammer him that smites on the anvil, saying of the soldering, [it is] good: and he fastens it with nails, [that] it be not moved. But thou, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend, whom I have grasped from the ends of the earth, and called from its corners (or, nobles), and said to thee, Thou [art] my servant; I have chosen thee, and not rejected thee. Fear not, for I [am] with thee; be not dismayed, for I [am] thy God. I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (vv. 5-10).

In verses 8 and 9 of our chapter Israel is reminded that as the seed of Abraham, who is honoured as "My friend," they are a chosen people and called to be the servant of God. How foolish then this turning to idols! And in the succeeding verses we find the most assuring words of encouragement and support which, if only received in faith, would have lifted them far above any reliance on idolatrous things. They should be upheld and their enemies confounded. The Holy One of Israel would be their Redeemer, and make them like a threshing instrument scattering their foes. Moreover He would be as a fountain of water to them, meeting all their needs.

We find in Isaiah that wonderful portion where God speaks of "upholding them by the right hand of his righteousness" (41:10). That tremendous hand of power is available for His people at all times, and we have all experienced that in one way or another.

Lastly, when the guilty people, bowed beneath the judgment of God, chastened and repentant but near despair, shall hear these words pronounced at the end of their time of trial: "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people! we hear this word "Fear not" repeated and multiplied in echo after echo. Fear not, my love will comfort thee, I will help thee, I will strengthen thee, I will be with my servant. Have I not redeemed thee? Am I not with thee? Fear not, I will refresh thee. Fear neither shame, nor insult, nor reproach. Thou are mine, and I have received thee in grace. The entire latter portion of Isaiah has this consoling word from God as a refrain (Isa. 41:10, 13, 14; Isa. 43:1, 5; Isa. 44:2; Isa. 51:7; Isa. 54:4).

Proof 3 given by Mr. Harris is as follows: “(3) Israel is to be an invincible nation. ‘No weapon that is formed against thee can prosper’ (Isa. 54:17). ‘Fear thou not (Israel), for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee’ (Isa. 41:10).”

Thus the Psalmist, very blessedly realises in trial that the LORD will not forsake us, the LORD is our help, and the LORD will hold us up. So too the prophet Isaiah links these three things together when he says, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: … I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isaiah 41:10-13).

So God declares, in the book of the Prophet Isaiah, that in this righteousness towards His people, He will raise up Cyrus and cause him to fulfil His promised restoration of them to their own land (see Isa. 45:13), and that He will uphold that failing people in this final weakness and distress with the right hand of His righteousness (see Isa. 41:10); and David and Daniel both, when confessing sin, apply to God for aid in the same way, on the ground of His righteousness (Ps. 51:14; Dan. 9:16). Most of these passages refer to temporal deliverance or interference on God's part, such as is evidently desired in Psalm 71:2, 24, "Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape." "My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long, for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame that seek my hurt" (cp. also Ps. 31:1; 36:6; 143:1-2, 11). This intervention is sought for on the ground of His righteousness towards those who are conscious of their own sinfulness; in the case of David, in Psalm 51 it is especially the conscience that is in question, for he asks to be delivered from blood guiltiness, and says that then his tongue shall sing aloud of God's righteousness, which would be displayed in acting according to His revealed character as a God that pardons iniquity, transgression, and sin. This righteousness of God, being manifested in relation to the guilt of which he complains, is another proof that the word of God does not recognize the distinction between pardon and justification, and corresponds entirely with what we have already found in the New Testament.