Isaiah 59:15 describes a society where honesty has disappeared and people who refuse to take part in wrongdoing end up being targeted for it. The verse also says that God notices this and is troubled by the absence of justice. The words come from the prophet Isaiah, who spoke to the people of Judah, and they form part of a confession of national sin that he shares on their behalf.
Yes, truth is lacking; and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.
Isaiah 59:15 (WEB)
What Isaiah 59:15 Means
The verse begins by stating a plain fact: truth is missing from public life. Honest speech has become rare, and people who will not join in the dishonesty find themselves exposed. The phrase “makes himself a prey” means that the person who turns away from evil becomes an easy target for those who still practice it. Isaiah is describing what happens when a community’s moral foundation erodes.
The second half shifts from the people to God. The LORD sees this situation and is displeased that justice has vanished. The verse presents God as an observer who cares about what happens between people, not a distant figure indifferent to human affairs. It is a description of God’s reaction, not a promise that He will immediately intervene.
What the verse does not promise is a quick fix. It does not say that honest people will automatically be protected or that injustice will be corrected in a given week. It names a problem and reveals God’s heart about it, which in the wider chapter leads to a call for repentance and a hope for God’s own saving action.
The Context of Isaiah 59:15
Isaiah 59 belongs to the larger book of Isaiah, traditionally attributed to the eighth-century prophet of that name, though many scholars see later voices shaping the collection. The chapter speaks to Israel, and its confession in verses 12 and 13 includes the people themselves saying, “our transgressions are with us.” Verse 15 is the center of a description of spiritual and social breakdown that runs through verses 12 to 14.
The verses that follow reveal what God does when He sees this. In verses 16 to 18 He is said to act through His own arm and righteousness, clothing Himself for salvation and judgment. Read this way, verse 15 is not the end of the story. It sets up the reason God steps in, showing that His action comes from grief over injustice and a desire to restore what has been lost.
Key Phrases in Isaiah 59:15
Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does the LORD require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
(WEB)
Micah sums up what the LORD requires as doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God. It pairs naturally with Isaiah 59:15 by showing that God’s displeasure at injustice is matched by His desire for His people to practice justice themselves.
Psalm 85:10
Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
(WEB)
This psalm pictures faithfulness and righteousness meeting together. It offers a hopeful counterpart to Isaiah 59:15, where truth is missing, by describing a future in which truth and justice are restored and joined in God’s peace.
A Short Prayer From Isaiah 59:15
Lord, You see the lies we tell and the injustice we allow to continue, and You are not indifferent to any of it. Forgive me for the times I have stayed quiet when I should have spoken the truth, and for the times I have benefited from things that were not fair. Give me courage to stand for what is right, even when it costs me something, and help me to be a person of honest words and faithful action. Thank You that Your heart grieves over injustice and that You are working to bring righteousness and salvation. Amen.
