Isaiah 54:7
For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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While the verse speaks of God's temporary desertion, the Hebrew word for "moment" can also carry the sense of "anger" or "wrath." This suggests that the "short time" of seeming abandonment was actually a brief, intense outpouring of divine displeasure, contrasted sharply with the immense and everlasting nature of God's gathering mercy.
This passage comes after God describes His people as a barren woman who will experience a miraculous expansion. He reassures them that though He may have temporarily withdrawn His favor, likened to a brief abandonment, His compassion will ultimately prevail. The verses immediately following will elaborate on God's everlasting kindness and the secure nature of His covenant with them.
Have you ever felt abandoned by God, even for a short time? This verse acknowledges that pain, but reframes it in light of divine perspective.
The word 'moment' here isn't just about a short duration; it's about the relative brevity of God's anger compared to His enduring love. The commentaries highlight that this 'small moment' primarily refers to the Babylonian exile, a period that felt immense to the Israelites but was, in God's grander plan, a brief interruption.
God's response to our pain isn't just a gentle nudge; it's a powerful act of restoration. What does 'gathering' truly entail?
The 'gathering' described here is far more than just bringing scattered people back together. It signifies a profound act of divine restoration and re-establishment.
Understand the original words
rachamim · Hebrew Noun
The intense, deep affection and mercy of God for His people. It goes beyond mere pity, implying an active, protective, and tender devotion that moves God to act on behalf of those in distress.
This verse speaks powerfully to the aftermath of the Babylonian exile, a period when the people of Judah felt utterly abandoned by God. It reassures them that their suffering, though intense, was temporary and that God's compassion would ultimately lead to their restoration and gathering.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquers Jerusalem, destroys Solomon's Temple, and exiles a significant portion of the population. This marks a period of national devastation and spiritual crisis for the people of Judah.
c. 586 BC - 538 BC
Babylonian Exile
The Judean people endure exile in Babylon. During this time, they experience a profound sense of abandonment by God, leading to a deep spiritual and national crisis.
538 BC
Cyrus Cylinder decree
Cyrus the Great of Persia issues a decree allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples. This marks the beginning of the end of the Babylonian exile.
c. 537 BC onwards
Return from Exile
Groups of Judeans begin to return to Jerusalem and surrounding areas. They face immense challenges in rebuilding their lives, the city, and the Temple.
This psalm echoes the idea that God's anger is fleeting while His favor is enduring, mirroring Isaiah's contrast between a 'moment' of forsaking and 'great mercies.'
Jeremiah 3:12-13Similar to Isaiah, Jeremiah speaks of God's willingness to forgive and gather a backsliding people, emphasizing His mercy and steadfast love even after rebellion.
2 Corinthians 4:17Paul uses the concept of 'momentary, light afflictions' being contrasted with an 'eternal weight of glory,' which aligns with Isaiah's temporal sorrow and everlasting gathering.
Hosea 11:8-9This passage reveals God's internal struggle between His judgment ('how can I give you up?') and His compassion, showing His heart is inclined towards mercy and not complete abandonment, much like the brief forsaking in Isaiah.
John 6:39Jesus speaks of not losing any that the Father has given Him, highlighting God's commitment to preserving and gathering His people, even when they may feel abandoned for a time.
clarkeIsaiah 54:7: "For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee."
For a small moment "In a little anger" - So the Chaldee and Syriac, either reading רגז regaz, for רגע rega; or understanding the latter word as meaning the same with the former, which they both make use of. See Psalm 30:5 ; Psalm 35:20 , in the Septuagint, where they render רגע rega by οργη, anger.
barnesIsaiah 54:7: "For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee."
For a small moment - The Chaldee and Syriac render this, 'In a little anger.' Lowth has adopted this, but without sufficient authority. The Hebrew means, 'For a little moment;' a very short time. The reference here is probably to the captivity at Babylon, when they were apparently forsaken by Yahweh. Though to them this appeared long, yet compared with their subsequent prosperity, it was but an in…
While the verse speaks of God's temporary desertion, the Hebrew word for "moment" can also carry the sense of "anger" or "wrath." This suggests that the "short time" of seeming abandonment was actually a brief, intense outpouring of divine displeasure, contrasted sharply with the immense and everlasting nature of God's gathering mercy.
This passage comes after God describes His people as a barren woman who will experience a miraculous expansion. He reassures them that though He may have temporarily withdrawn His favor, likened to a brief abandonment, His compassion will ultimately prevail. The verses immediately following will elaborate on God's everlasting kindness and the secure nature of His covenant with them.
This passage comes after God describes His people as a barren woman who will experience a miraculous expansion. He reassures them that though He may have temporarily withdrawn His favor, likened to a brief abandonment, His compassion will ultimately prevail. The verses immediately following will elaborate on God's everlasting kindness and the secure nature of His covenant with them.
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c. 516 BC
Rebuilding of the Second Temple
The Second Temple in Jerusalem is completed and dedicated, a significant symbol of national and religious restoration after the exile.
"For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you." — While the verse speaks of God's temporary desertion, the Hebrew word for "moment" can also carry the sense of "anger" or "wrath." This suggests that the "short time" of seeming abandonment was actual…
