Isaiah 64 · a question people ask
Who is praying in this chapter?
The chapter doesn't name anyone. The words are spoken to the LORD, three times by name: "But now, LORD, you are our Father" (64:8), "Don’t be furious, LORD" (64:9), and "Will you hold yourself back for these things, LORD?" (64:12). The ones praying say we, call themselves "your people" (64:9), and speak of "our fathers" (64:11) and of "Zion" and "Jerusalem" (64:10). The prayer began before the chapter did: "I will tell of the loving kindnesses of the LORD" (Isaiah 63:7). The text doesn't say who first prayed it, and these notes name no one and apply its we to no people today.
The verses
“But now, LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay and you our potter. We all are the work of your hand. Don’t be furious, LORD. Don’t remember iniquity forever. Look and see, we beg you, we are all your people. Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and our beautiful house where our fathers praised you is burned with fire. All our pleasant places are laid waste. Will you hold yourself back for these things, LORD? Will you keep silent and punish us very severely?”
“I will tell of the loving kindnesses of the LORD and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has given to us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he has given to them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.”