Everyone, even in the most distant coastlands, is commanded to worship and glorify God as Lord of all.
“Let them give glory to the LORD and declare His praise in the coastlands.” (v.12)
Isaiah calls for every person, no matter their location, to exalt God by offering Him glory and praise. This verse begins with the imperative Let them give glory to the LORD, emphasizing that the only appropriate response to God’s magnificence is to honor Him. In Scripture, the LORD is the covenant God of Israel, the same One who declared His intention to redeem His people (Exodus 6:2-6) and to bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:6). The prophet here adds and declare His praise in the coastlands (v.12). The phrase “the coastlands” signifies distant lands along the seas, a poetic way of referring to places far from Israel—regions beyond Judah’s immediate borders. God’s glory extends all throughout creation (Psalm 19:1), so Isaiah exhorts even those in remote regions to recognize and proclaim the Lord’s majesty.
This directive reflects the universal scope of God’s redemptive plan. Isaiah’s ministry took place around 700 BC, when the kingdom of Judah faced threats from powerful empires such as Assyria. Even in those tumultuous times, the prophet insisted that nations—and faraway coastlands—belong to the Creator and owe Him worship. The Old Testament often pictures God’s glory extending beyond Israel, culminating in prophecies that ultimately point to Christ, the Suffering Servant, who would draw all peoples to Himself (Isaiah 42:1, Matthew 12:18; see also commentary Haggai 2:20 about Zerubbabel as a type of Christ). In line with these broader themes, Isaiah 42:12 specifically involves calling people everywhere to extol God’s name.
When Isaiah calls them to declare His praise, he frames the most natural and proper response to God’s character and deeds. The phrase resonates with many passages in the Psalms that instruct believers to shout for joy to the LORD, to sing His praises, and to herald His goodness among all the nations. This fits well within the larger context of Isaiah 42, where the Servant of the LORD is described as someone who will bring justice and be a light to the nations, reaching even the coastlands (Isaiah 42:4). This same passage is cited in Matthew 12:18-21 to show that Jesus fulfilled this role as the ultimate Servant. Because Jesus is the Messiah, the worldwide invitation to worship the LORD is extended through Him (John 3:16).
God’s universal sovereignty, and His invitation to be praised among all peoples, remains pertinent today. No matter who we are or where we reside—whether physically distant in faraway coastlands or close to the heart of where Jesus walked—He calls us to honor Him in worship and live in alignment with His ways.
Let the whole world give glory to the LORD and join in proclaiming how worthy He is of all praise.
God’s global call to worship compels everyone, everywhere, to exalt Him as the Lord of all creation.
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Isaiah 42:12 meaning
“Let them give glory to the LORD and declare His praise in the coastlands.” (v.12)
Isaiah calls for every person, no matter their location, to exalt God by offering Him glory and praise. This verse begins with the imperative Let them give glory to the LORD, emphasizing that the only appropriate response to God’s magnificence is to honor Him. In Scripture, the LORD is the covenant God of Israel, the same One who declared His intention to redeem His people (Exodus 6:2-6) and to bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:6). The prophet here adds and declare His praise in the coastlands (v.12). The phrase “the coastlands” signifies distant lands along the seas, a poetic way of referring to places far from Israel—regions beyond Judah’s immediate borders. God’s glory extends all throughout creation (Psalm 19:1), so Isaiah exhorts even those in remote regions to recognize and proclaim the Lord’s majesty.
This directive reflects the universal scope of God’s redemptive plan. Isaiah’s ministry took place around 700 BC, when the kingdom of Judah faced threats from powerful empires such as Assyria. Even in those tumultuous times, the prophet insisted that nations—and faraway coastlands—belong to the Creator and owe Him worship. The Old Testament often pictures God’s glory extending beyond Israel, culminating in prophecies that ultimately point to Christ, the Suffering Servant, who would draw all peoples to Himself (Isaiah 42:1, Matthew 12:18; see also commentary Haggai 2:20 about Zerubbabel as a type of Christ). In line with these broader themes, Isaiah 42:12 specifically involves calling people everywhere to extol God’s name.
When Isaiah calls them to declare His praise, he frames the most natural and proper response to God’s character and deeds. The phrase resonates with many passages in the Psalms that instruct believers to shout for joy to the LORD, to sing His praises, and to herald His goodness among all the nations. This fits well within the larger context of Isaiah 42, where the Servant of the LORD is described as someone who will bring justice and be a light to the nations, reaching even the coastlands (Isaiah 42:4). This same passage is cited in Matthew 12:18-21 to show that Jesus fulfilled this role as the ultimate Servant. Because Jesus is the Messiah, the worldwide invitation to worship the LORD is extended through Him (John 3:16).
God’s universal sovereignty, and His invitation to be praised among all peoples, remains pertinent today. No matter who we are or where we reside—whether physically distant in faraway coastlands or close to the heart of where Jesus walked—He calls us to honor Him in worship and live in alignment with His ways.
Let the whole world give glory to the LORD and join in proclaiming how worthy He is of all praise.
God’s global call to worship compels everyone, everywhere, to exalt Him as the Lord of all creation.