Isaiah 26:1
In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.
In that day looks to a future day when God's people in the land of Judah will sing that they have a strong city because God Himself makes salvation its walls and bulwarks for defense. That strong city is the city of God, made secure by His saving power and protection rather than by any human strength. The song is a song of confidence, hope, trust, and assurance in God. It will be heard amid the deepening shadows of earth's last great crisis, when God's light shines brightest and the conflict is over for His people at the close of this earth's history. Its promise leads on to the opening of the gates for the righteous nation that keeps the truth to enter in, to perfect peace for the mind stayed on God, and to the transfer of the righteous to heaven when entrance depends on standing now in righteousness and truth with character purified.
City, Salvation, and Judah
In that day points to a future day when this song will be sung in the land of Judah declaring that God's people have a strong city. The city is strong and secure because God Himself appoints salvation itself to serve as its walls and bulwarks for defense and protection. Its security rests in God's saving protection and power to secure His people, not in human strength.
The strong city is the city of God. The song is a song of confidence, hope, trust, assurance, and faith in God. It expresses hope and trust in God who makes the city secure.
The song belongs to God's covenant-keeping people, toward whom all His counsels are faithfulness and truth. Even His discipline of His church is loving-kindness, though narrowness of vision keeps them from discerning it. In connection with the wedding-feast teaching, Isaiah 25-26 presents God's preparation of salvation, including pardon and the removal of sin through the riches of His grace.
End-Time Hope and Entrance
The song will be heard amid the deepening shadows of earth's last great crisis, when God's light shines brightest with hope and trust. It belongs to God's people at the close of this earth's history when the conflict is over.
The city of God is a place of hope beyond the conflict of earthly life. There the faithful will meet and rejoice together when the conflict is over.
Its promise points to restoration and safety for those who remain faithful to God amid oppression and apostasy. That future includes the Lord bringing down pride and self-exaltation, for the city's security rests in God's salvation and not in human strength. The promised enlargement of the church and displays of God's power to secure His people are associated with this assurance.
The verse is joined to what follows it: its gates opened for the righteous nation that keeps the truth to enter in. With it comes perfect peace to the one whose mind is stayed on God because he trusts in Him, and a call to trust forever in the Lord Jehovah as everlasting strength. The picture of security is grounded in God's saving care for those who trust in Him and keep the truth.
Its fulfillment is the transfer of the righteous to heaven, when the gates swing back on glittering hinges and the nations that have kept Bible truth enter in and are welcomed there. Entrance then depends on standing now in righteousness and truth, with robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb and impurity of character put away. Readiness means being prepared for the grand review when every case is decided and the books are opened.
The verse strengthens and encourages believers day by day to establish themselves in the strength of the Lord and trust Him as shield and protection. True faith in God brings assurance and peace to the humble and contrite.