God’s mercy awaits those who awaken to His call and trust in His deliverance.
“Rouse yourself! Rouse yourself! Arise, O Jerusalem, You who have drunk from the LORD’s hand the cup of His anger; The chalice of reeling you have drained to the dregs.” (v.17) In this verse, the prophet Isaiah calls upon Jerusalem to awaken from a state of despair. Jerusalem was (and still is) a significant city located in the hill country of Judah, roughly 2,500 feet above sea level. Founded long before King David conquered it around 1003 BC, it became the capital city of the southern kingdom of Judah. Here, Isaiah—who served as a prophet in Judah between 740 BC and 681 BC—pictures the city’s inhabitants as having drained God’s cup of wrath, meaning they experienced the full consequence of their sins. This image of “drinking” God’s anger signals a time of severe judgment for the people, and Isaiah implores them to rouse themselves because God’s time for restoration is at hand.
Isaiah’s vivid phrase, “Arise, O Jerusalem” (v.17), underscores the shift from affliction to hope. The cup of the LORD’s anger, which had left them staggering under the weight of divine discipline, now stands empty. The “chalice of reeling” continues the metaphor of staggering punishment, making it clear that the city’s struggles came as a result of straying from the LORD. Yet, in calling them to arise, Isaiah stresses that God has a purpose beyond judgment: to bring His people back to covenant faithfulness. This same imagery of a “cup” that must be drunk appears later in the Gospel accounts of Jesus, who willingly accepted the cup of suffering on behalf of humankind (Luke 22:42), signifying that even in the face of divine wrath, God works toward redemption.
By saying, “You who have drunk from the LORD’s hand the cup of His anger” (v.17), Isaiah implies that God remains sovereign, even in seasons of punishment. Although the people’s decisions led them into hardship, the LORD’s discipline ultimately serves to refine and restore. Similar themes of restoration and comfort are found earlier in Isaiah’s writings (Isaiah 40:1-2). The prophet’s exhortation to wake up and stand resumes God’s invitation to return and be redeemed, showing that while judgment is real, divine compassion triumphs in the end.
Set to dark mode
Isaiah 51:17 meaning
“Rouse yourself! Rouse yourself! Arise, O Jerusalem, You who have drunk from the LORD’s hand the cup of His anger; The chalice of reeling you have drained to the dregs.” (v.17) In this verse, the prophet Isaiah calls upon Jerusalem to awaken from a state of despair. Jerusalem was (and still is) a significant city located in the hill country of Judah, roughly 2,500 feet above sea level. Founded long before King David conquered it around 1003 BC, it became the capital city of the southern kingdom of Judah. Here, Isaiah—who served as a prophet in Judah between 740 BC and 681 BC—pictures the city’s inhabitants as having drained God’s cup of wrath, meaning they experienced the full consequence of their sins. This image of “drinking” God’s anger signals a time of severe judgment for the people, and Isaiah implores them to rouse themselves because God’s time for restoration is at hand.
Isaiah’s vivid phrase, “Arise, O Jerusalem” (v.17), underscores the shift from affliction to hope. The cup of the LORD’s anger, which had left them staggering under the weight of divine discipline, now stands empty. The “chalice of reeling” continues the metaphor of staggering punishment, making it clear that the city’s struggles came as a result of straying from the LORD. Yet, in calling them to arise, Isaiah stresses that God has a purpose beyond judgment: to bring His people back to covenant faithfulness. This same imagery of a “cup” that must be drunk appears later in the Gospel accounts of Jesus, who willingly accepted the cup of suffering on behalf of humankind (Luke 22:42), signifying that even in the face of divine wrath, God works toward redemption.
By saying, “You who have drunk from the LORD’s hand the cup of His anger” (v.17), Isaiah implies that God remains sovereign, even in seasons of punishment. Although the people’s decisions led them into hardship, the LORD’s discipline ultimately serves to refine and restore. Similar themes of restoration and comfort are found earlier in Isaiah’s writings (Isaiah 40:1-2). The prophet’s exhortation to wake up and stand resumes God’s invitation to return and be redeemed, showing that while judgment is real, divine compassion triumphs in the end.