Meaning, commentary and cross references
Isaiah 55:8
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
NIV · New International Version
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
WEB · World English Bible
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says the LORD.
What does Isaiah 55:8 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Isaiah 55:8
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,.... In some things there may be a likeness between the thoughts of God and the thoughts of men, as to the nature of them: thoughts are natural and essential to them both; they are within them, are internal acts, and unknown to others, till made known; but then the thoughts of men are finite and limited, whereas the thoughts of the Lord are infinite and boundless; men's thoughts have a beginning, but the Lord's have none; though not so much the nature as the quality of them is here intended: the thoughts of men are evil, even the imagination of their thoughts, yea, every imagination is, and that always and only so; but the thoughts of God are holy, as…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on Isaiah 55:8
For my thoughts are not your thoughts. This passage is expounded in various ways. Some think that it condemns universally the life of men, that they may not be satisfied with it or flatter their vices; for we cannot approach to God but by taking away a false conviction of our own righteousness. And indeed none call for physicians but those who are driven by the violence of disease to seek both health and remedies.
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Isaiah 55:5–11 (WEB)
5Behold, you shall call a nation that you don’t know; and a nation that didn’t know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.” 6Seek the LORD while he may be found. Call on him while he is near. 7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says the LORD. 9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth, and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do.
Cross references
- Psalms 92:5
- Psalms 40:5
- Hosea 14:9
Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.
- Psalms 25:10
- Ezekiel 18:29
Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
- Daniel 4:37
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.
- Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
- Proverbs 21:8
The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.