Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
Parallel translations
- WEB Behold, my servants will sing for joy of heart, but you will cry for sorrow of heart, and will wail for anguish of spirit.
- BSB My servants will shout for joy with a glad heart, but you will cry out with a heavy heart and wail with a broken spirit.
- NKJV Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, But you shall cry for sorrow of heart, And wail for grief of spirit.
- NASB “Behold, My servants will shout joyfully with a glad heart, But you will cry out from a painful heart, And you will wail from a broken spirit.
- NLT My servants will sing for joy, but you will cry in sorrow and despair.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God's servants will sing for joy while the rebellious cry out in sorrow and anguish. It matters because it portrays the deep difference in eternal outcomes.
Overview
The contrast intensifies from physical satisfaction to the condition of the heart: joyful singing versus sorrow and wailing. This depicts the profound and lasting difference between belonging to God and being estranged from Him. It points to the joy of the redeemed and the grief of the lost that Jesus taught would mark the age to come (Matthew 8:11-12; Revelation 21:4).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Ps 66:4All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
- Matt 8:12But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Matt 13:42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
- Matt 22:13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Luke 13:28There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
- Jas 5:13Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
- Isa 52:8–9Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.
- Isa 24:14They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.
- Jas 5:1Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
- Jer 31:7For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.
- Job 29:13The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 65:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.