Isaiah 65:14
Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
Study Note
Study Note
The eschatological division between God's servants who 'sing for joy of heart' and those who 'cry for sorrow of heart and howl for vexation of spirit' creates one of the sharpest bifurcations in Isaiah's closing vision. Isaiah 65-66's new creation context (65:17) frames this contrast cosmically: the new order is characterized not by the absence of joy and grief but by their radical redistribution. The verse anticipates the Beatitudes' reversals (Matthew 5:3-12) where those who mourn will be comforted and the poor in spirit will inherit the kingdom. Revelation 21:4's 'no more tears' is the eschatological fulfillment of the servants' joy promised here.
Other Translations
behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall wail for vexation of spirit.
Lo, My servants sing from joy of heart, And ye cry from pain of heart, And from breaking of spirit ye do howl.
My servants will make songs in the joy of their hearts, but you will be crying for sorrow, and making sounds of grief from a broken spirit.
Cross References
The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing …
Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath …
Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to …
They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from …
For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, …
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the …
All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into …
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of …