This is a heart felt appeal for God to break down through the heavens and come and rescue His people (v1). Isaiah is wanting the Lord to do what He did in the past in the days of Moses. Isaiah wants the people to be once terrified by the awesome presence of the Lord (v2-3) as in the days of Joshua and the conquest of the Promised Land.

Isaiah realises that the Lord has no equals and His burden is for the Lord’s greatness to be made known (v4). The problem though is that the Lord hears the prayers of His righteous people but Israel is far from righteous and so Isaiah confesses this (v5-8).

Isaiah though is not without hope and acknowledges that the Lord can do with them as He pleases (v8) and he appeals for compassion (v9-10). The temple where the Lord received praise has been burnt (v11) and Isaiah’s question is, can the Lord restrain Himself and not act (v12)?

Isaiah prays with great boldness, not from a position of conceit but as one who knows the Lord intimately and approaches with humble faith in the Lord’s goodness. In regards our needs, the needs of our families and our nation the greatest thing we can ever do is to appeal to this God of amazing power and love.