Isaiah 25:1 (ESV)
“O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.”
1. “O Lord, you are my God” – Personal Confession of Relationship
a. Personal possession of God:
This phrase is not generic. Isaiah says, “you are my God,” claiming God personally, not distantly.
Psalm 63:1 – “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you…”
b. Covenant intimacy:
It echoes covenant language, grounding Isaiah in the promises made to Israel.
Exodus 6:7 – “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God…”
2. “I will exalt you” – Lifting God Above All
a. Exaltation through worship:
Isaiah models worship that lifts God above all things—problems, nations, and pride.
Psalm 99:5 – “Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!”
b. Exaltation is a deliberate act:
Not circumstantial, but a conscious act of the will in all seasons.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 – “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”
3. “I will praise your name” – Honoring God’s Character
a. Name as representation of nature:
To praise God’s name is to honor His revealed character—merciful, just, holy.
Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”
b. Public declaration of trust:
Praising His name is also proclaiming trust in Him before others.
Psalm 34:3 – “Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!”
4. “For you have done wonderful things” – Acknowledging God’s Mighty Acts
a. Recalling God’s past acts of deliverance:
Isaiah refers to God’s mighty works in history—creation, exodus, victories.
Psalm 105:5 – “Remember the wondrous works that he has done…”
b. Recognizing present mercies:
God’s wonders are not only past but also present in everyday mercies.
Lamentations 3:23 – “They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
5. “Plans formed of old” – God’s Sovereign Design
a. Eternal purpose:
God’s acts are not reactive; they’re part of an eternal design.
Ephesians 1:4 – “Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world…”
b. God’s plans precede history:
What is unfolding now was already set in His wisdom long ago.
Isaiah 46:10 – “Declaring the end from the beginning… saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’”
6. “Faithful and sure” – The Reliability of God’s Word
a. God keeps His promises:
Every prophecy fulfilled shows God’s unshakable trustworthiness.
Numbers 23:19 – “God is not man, that he should lie… Has he said, and will he not do it?”
b. Stability in uncertain times:
In chaos and judgment, God’s Word remains unchanging.
Psalm 119:89 – “Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.”
7. Worship as Response to God’s Faithfulness
a. Worship flows from revelation:
Isaiah doesn’t worship out of emotion, but because he knows God is faithful.
John 4:24 – “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
b. Praise acknowledges God’s initiative:
Worship responds to what God has already done, not what we achieve.
1 John 4:19 – “We love because he first loved us.”
8. God’s Character Displayed in His Deeds
a. Deeds reflect His glory:
God’s works are not random—they declare His nature: good, just, merciful.
Psalm 145:17 – “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.”
b. His actions cannot be separated from His essence:
What God does flows from who He is.
Exodus 34:6 – “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger…”
9. Prophetic Praise as Testimony
a. Praise is proclamation:
Isaiah’s words are public testimony of God’s greatness before the nations.
Psalm 96:3 – “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!”
b. Praise builds faith in others:
Hearing praise strengthens the discouraged and points the lost to God.
Psalm 40:3 – “Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.”
10. God’s Plan Includes Judgment and Redemption
a. The context of chapter 24-27:
Isaiah praises God after declaring judgment—he sees redemption in the storm.
Isaiah 24:14-15 – “They lift up their voices, they sing for joy… give glory to the Lord in the east.”
b. God judges sin and saves the righteous:
God’s faithful plans include both justice and grace.
Romans 11:22 – “Note then the kindness and the severity of God…”
11. God’s Plans Cannot Fail
a. He accomplishes what He purposes:
There is no force in heaven or earth that can stop God’s design.
Job 42:2 – “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”
b. Fulfilled prophecy proves this:
Isaiah’s praise is rooted in seeing God’s word come true.
Luke 21:33 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
12. God Deserves Exaltation for Who He Is and What He Does
a. Worship is centered on God, not us:
We do not praise Him to get something—we praise because He is worthy.
Revelation 4:11 – “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power…”
b. Every believer must personalize this praise:
Like Isaiah, we must say: “You are my God”—not just acknowledge Him in theory.
Philippians 3:8 – “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
How Isaiah 25:1 Should Impact Us Today
1. Our Prayer Life
- Let your prayers begin with praise and confession of God’s faithfulness.
- Thank Him for His plans, even when you don’t understand them.
- Say often in prayer: “You are my God.”
2. Our Daily Walk
- Walk in confidence, not fear—His plans are faithful and sure.
- Exalt Him in your conversations and attitudes.
- Remember that God’s purposes for you were formed long ago—live them out in peace.
3. Our Devotional Time
- Begin devotionals by recalling what God has already done.
- Keep a record of “wonderful things” the Lord has done in your life—this fuels gratitude.
- Study the Scriptures not just to gain knowledge but to praise His name.
You Have Done Wonderful Things
You are my God,
Not just over the world,
But over my life,
My breath,
My being.
I lift You high,
Above the noise,
Above the fear,
Above the shame,
Because You are higher.
Your name is my hope,
Strong when I am weak,
Clear when life is foggy,
Sure when all else shakes,
Holy and close.
You have done wonders,
Not just in stories,
But in my story too,
Quiet miracles,
Deep mercies.
You planned it long ago,
Before I ever cried,
Before I ever failed,
And still You carried me,
Faithful and sure.
Prayer:
O Lord, You are my God.
I do not say this lightly or from tradition, but from a heart that knows You have claimed me. You have done wonderful things—things I understand and things I do not see yet. Your plans were made long before I knew trouble, before I ever called Your name, and still You have been faithful.
Thank You for being sure when everything else feels uncertain. Thank You for anchoring my life in Your truth. Help me to exalt You with my words, my thoughts, and my decisions. Help me to praise Your name not just on good days, but on every day. May I remember You are my God—personal, powerful, and always present.
Draw me close in my daily walk. Teach me to begin each morning in praise. Let my devotional time be a place where I say again and again: “You are my God.”
In Jesus’ name, Amen.