Isaiah 57:20-21
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The verse highlights that the wicked are fundamentally incapable of peace, not just when things are bad, but intrinsically so. Their unrest is so deep that their inner turmoil, their "waters," constantly churn up the filth and sin that reside within them.
But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse marks a sharp contrast following God's promise of peace and healing. After detailing the judgment on the wicked and the ultimate restoration for the faithful, Isaiah pivots to describe the inherent instability and impurity of those who reject God. This imagery serves to highlight the futility of their ways and the peace God offers to those who trust in Him.
Ever felt like life is a constant storm, with no calm in sight? The Bible uses a powerful image to describe the inner state of those who reject God's peace.
Isaiah paints a vivid picture of the wicked as a 'tossing sea.' This isn't just about external chaos, but a deep, internal restlessness.
A Perpetual Storm
The Hebrew word for 'cannot be quiet' implies an inability to find rest, a state of constant agitation. Unlike a storm that eventually passes, this restlessness is inherent to the wicked's condition. Their minds and hearts are in a continuous state of turmoil, driven by unfulfilled desires, guilt, and the fear of judgment.
What They Cast Up
Just as a turbulent sea churns up mud and debris from its depths, the wicked 'cast up mire and dirt.' This represents the outward expression of their inner chaos: their words, actions, and attitudes reveal the filth and corruption within. They spew out the negativity, the malice, and the ungodliness that festers inside them.
If the wicked are like a restless sea, what is the alternative? Isaiah contrasts this chaotic imagery with a profound promise of divine peace.
This verse isn't just a description of the wicked; it's a setup for understanding the radical difference God offers.
The Promise of Stillness
The entire passage in Isaiah contrasts the turmoil of the wicked with the peace God offers to the righteous. While the wicked are tossed about by their own inner storms, believers are invited into a state of rest found only in God. This peace isn't the absence of external challenges, but an internal stillness that transcends circumstances.
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Healing from the Uproar
Isaiah 57:18-19 speaks of God healing and restoring, bringing peace to both the near and the far. This is the antidote to the 'mire and dirt' cast up by the wicked. True peace comes from God's grace, which calms the inner tempest and cleanses the heart, offering a stable ground amidst life's storms.
Understand the original words
rasha · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Those who are ethically corrupt, characterized by their rejection of God’s law. They are defined not just by specific acts, but by a nature that is fundamentally opposed to God’s holiness.
shalom · Hebrew Noun
A comprehensive state of wholeness, harmony, welfare, and tranquility, resulting from a right relationship with God and others. It represents the fullness of God's blessing and the absence of conflict or distress.
rasha' · Hebrew Adjective
Refers to those who are morally corrupt, rebellious against God, or lacking integrity. In a biblical context, it describes individuals who willfully reject God’s laws and authority, standing in opposition to His righteousness.
This passage uses a similar metaphor of a troubled sea for the city of Damascus, highlighting its restlessness and inability to find peace, which parallels Isaiah's description of the wicked.
Jude 1:13This verse describes the wicked as 'restless at sea, casting up their own shame like foam,' directly echoing the imagery of Isaiah 57:20 and emphasizing the impurity and disorder they bring forth.
Proverbs 4:16-17This proverb contrasts the restless, unrighteous actions with peaceful sleep, mirroring Isaiah's theme that the wicked, unlike the righteous, can never find true rest due to their constant turmoil.
Romans 3:13This verse describes the wicked's 'throat as an open grave' and their 'tongues practice deceit,' which connects conceptually to the 'mire and dirt' the turbulent sea casts up, symbolizing the corruption and impurity they spew forth.
cambridgeIsaiah 57:20: "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt."
20, 21 . Their peace is contrasted with the eternal unrest of the wicked. For the image cf. Judges 13. when ( for ) it cannot rest ] as Jeremiah 49:23 .
barnesIsaiah 57:20: "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt."
But the wicked - All who are transgressors of the law and who remain unpardoned. The design of this is to contrast their condition with that of those who should enjoy peace. The proposition is, therefore, of the most general character. All the wicked are like the troubled sea. Whether prosperous or otherwise; rich or poor; bond or free; old or young; whether in Christian, in civili…
The verse highlights that the wicked are fundamentally incapable of peace, not just when things are bad, but intrinsically so. Their unrest is so deep that their inner turmoil, their "waters," constantly churn up the filth and sin that reside within them.
This verse marks a sharp contrast following God's promise of peace and healing. After detailing the judgment on the wicked and the ultimate restoration for the faithful, Isaiah pivots to describe the inherent instability and impurity of those who reject God. This imagery serves to highlight the futility of their ways and the peace God offers to those who trust in Him.
This verse marks a sharp contrast following God's promise of peace and healing. After detailing the judgment on the wicked and the ultimate restoration for the faithful, Isaiah pivots to describe the inherent instability and impurity of those who reject God. This imagery serves to highlight the futility of their ways and the peace God offers to those who trust in Him.
"But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”" — The verse highlights that the wicked are fundamentally incapable of peace, not just when things are bad, but intrinsically so. Their unrest is so deep that their inner turmoil, their "waters," consta…
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Last reviewed October 2026
