Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King. It is He who will save us.

◄ Isaiah 33:22 ►

New International Version
For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us.

New Living Translation
For the LORD is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us.

English Standard Version
For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us.

Berean Standard Bible
For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King. It is He who will save us.

Berean Literal Bible
For YHWH is the One judging us; YHWH is the One decreeing for us; YHWH is our King; He will save us.

King James Bible
For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

New King James Version
(For the LORD is our Judge, The LORD is our Lawgiver, The LORD is our King; He will save us);

New American Standard Bible
For the LORD is our judge, The LORD is our lawgiver, The LORD is our king; He will save us—

NASB 1995
For the LORD is our judge, The LORD is our lawgiver, The LORD is our king; He will save us—

NASB 1977
For the LORD is our judge, The LORD is our lawgiver, The LORD is our king; He will save us—

Legacy Standard Bible
For Yahweh is our judge, Yahweh is our lawgiver, Yahweh is our king; He will save us—

Amplified Bible
For the LORD is our Judge, The LORD is our Ruler, The LORD is our King; He will save us.

Berean Annotated Bible
For the LORD {YHWH} is our Judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King. It is He who will save us.

Christian Standard Bible
For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our Lawgiver, the LORD is our King. He will save us.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King. He will save us.

American Standard Version
For Jehovah is our judge, Jehovah is our lawgiver, Jehovah is our king; he will save us.

Contemporary English Version
The LORD is our judge and our ruler; the LORD is our king and will keep us safe.

English Revised Version
For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD is our judge. The LORD is our lawgiver. The LORD is our king. The LORD is our savior.

International Standard Version
For the LORD is our judge, and the LORD is our lawgiver; and the LORD is our king, and it is he who will save us.

NET Bible
For the LORD, our ruler, the LORD, our commander, the LORD, our king--he will deliver us.

New Heart English Bible
For the LORD is our judge. The LORD is our lawgiver. The LORD is our king. He will save us.

Webster's Bible Translation
For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

Majority Text Translations

Majority Standard Bible
For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King. It is He who will save us.

World English Bible
For Yahweh is our judge. Yahweh is our lawgiver. Yahweh is our king. He will save us.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
For YHWH, ours who is judging, "" YHWH our lawgiver, "" YHWH our King—He saves us.

Berean Literal Bible
For YHWH is the One judging us; YHWH is the One decreeing for us; YHWH is our King; He will save us.

Young's Literal Translation
For Jehovah our judge, Jehovah our lawgiver, Jehovah our king -- He doth save us.

Smith's Literal Translation
For Jehovah is our Judge, Jehovah our law-giver, Jehovah our king; he will save us.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king: he will save us.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For the Lord is our judge. The Lord is our lawgiver. The Lord is our king. He himself will save us.

New American Bible
For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he it is who will save us.

New Revised Standard Version
For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our ruler, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; and he is our Saviour.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because LORD JEHOVAH is the Judge and LORD JEHOVAH is The Prophet and LORD JEHOVAH is our King and he is our Savior

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
For the LORD is our Judge, The LORD is our Lawgiver, The LORD is our King; He will save us.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For my God is great: the Lord our judge shall not pass me by: the Lord is our prince, the Lord is our king; the Lord, he shall save us.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The LORD is Exalted
…21But there the Majestic One, our LORD, will be for us a place of rivers and wide canals, where no galley with oars will row, and no majestic vessel will pass. 22For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King. It is He who will save us. 23Your ropes are slack; they cannot secure the mast or spread the sail. Then an abundance of spoils will be divided, and even the lame will carry off plunder.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

For the LORD is our Judge,

Psalm 50:6
And the heavens proclaim His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge. Selah

Psalm 75:7
but it is God who judges; He brings down one and exalts another.

Genesis 18:25
Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

the LORD is our lawgiver,

James 4:12
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

Deuteronomy 33:2
He said: “The LORD came from Sinai and dawned upon us from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran and came with myriads of holy ones, with flaming fire at His right hand.

Isaiah 2:3
And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

the LORD is our King.

Zechariah 14:9
On that day the LORD will become King over all the earth—the LORD alone, and His name alone.

Psalm 47:7
For God is King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise.

Psalm 10:16
The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations perish from His land.

It is He who will save us.

Isaiah 25:9
And in that day it will be said, “Surely this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

Isaiah 12:2
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. For the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He also has become my salvation.”

Hosea 13:4
Yet I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt; you know no God but Me, for there is no Savior besides Me.

Deuteronomy 32:36
For the LORD will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants when He sees that their strength is gone and no one remains, slave or free.

Hebrews 12:23
in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

Psalm 9:7-8
But the LORD abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment. / He judges the world with justice; He governs the people with equity.

Romans 14:10-12
Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. / It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.” / So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Treasury of Scripture

For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

the Lord is our judge

Genesis 18:25
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Psalm 50:6
And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

Psalm 75:7
But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

lawgiver.

Deuteronomy 33:2
And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

Nehemiah 10:14
The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani,

Psalm 147:19,20
He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel…

the Lord is our king

Psalm 44:4
Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.

Psalm 74:12
For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

Psalm 89:18
For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.

he will

Isaiah 12:2
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Isaiah 25:9
And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Zephaniah 3:15-17
The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more…

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Isaiah 33

1. God's judgments against the enemies of the church
13. The consternation of sinners, and privileges of the godly

Study Bible

Book ◦ Chapter

For the LORD is our Judge
This phrase emphasizes God's role as the ultimate authority in moral and spiritual matters. In the context of Isaiah, the Israelites were often judged by earthly rulers, but this verse reminds them that God is the supreme Judge. This aligns with passages like Psalm 75:7, which states that God is the one who judges, putting down one and lifting up another. The role of a judge in ancient Israel was not only to decide legal matters but also to maintain social order and justice, reflecting God's righteousness and fairness.

the LORD is our lawgiver
Here, the LORD is depicted as the source of divine law, akin to the role Moses played when he received the Law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:12). This highlights God's authority in establishing moral and ethical standards for His people. The term "lawgiver" connects to the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, which contain the laws given to Israel. This phrase underscores the belief that God's laws are perfect and eternal, as seen in Psalm 19:7, which declares the law of the LORD as perfect, reviving the soul.

the LORD is our King
This phrase acknowledges God's sovereignty and kingship over Israel and the entire world. In the historical context, Israel had earthly kings, but this verse points to God as the ultimate King. This is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, as seen in 1 Samuel 8:7, where God tells Samuel that the people have rejected Him as their king. The kingship of God is also a type of Christ, who is recognized as the King of Kings in the New Testament (Revelation 19:16).

It is He who will save us
This final phrase assures the people of God's deliverance and salvation. In the immediate context, it speaks to the deliverance from Assyrian threats, but it also foreshadows the ultimate salvation through Jesus Christ. The concept of God as Savior is prevalent throughout the Bible, with passages like Psalm 68:20 affirming that God is a God of salvation. In the New Testament, this is fulfilled in Jesus, whose name means "The LORD saves" (Matthew 1:21), highlighting the continuity of God's saving work from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

Persons / Places / Events

1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The central figure in this verse, representing the triune God who is both just and merciful. The Hebrew name "Yahweh" emphasizes His eternal and self-existent nature.

2. Isaiah
The prophet who delivered this message to the people of Judah, calling them to trust in God amidst political turmoil and threats from surrounding nations.

3. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, facing threats from Assyria during Isaiah's time. This verse is a reassurance of God's sovereignty and protection over His people.

4. Assyria
The dominant empire during Isaiah's ministry, often seen as a threat to Judah. The verse contrasts the earthly power of Assyria with the divine authority of God.

5. Jerusalem
The capital of Judah, representing the spiritual and political heart of the nation. The promise of God's salvation is particularly relevant to the city under threat.

Teaching Points

God as Judge
Recognize that God is the ultimate authority in moral and spiritual matters. His judgments are perfect and just, providing a standard for our lives.

God as Lawgiver
Understand that God's laws are given for our benefit and guidance. They reflect His character and are meant to lead us into a life of righteousness.

God as King
Submit to God's sovereign rule in every area of life. Acknowledge His authority and seek His kingdom first in all decisions and actions.

God as Savior
Trust in God's power to save us from both temporal and eternal threats. His salvation is comprehensive, covering every aspect of our lives.

Living in Assurance
Live with confidence and peace, knowing that God is in control and will ultimately deliver His people from all forms of oppression and danger.

Bible Study Questions and Answers

1. What is the meaning of Isaiah 33:22?

2. How does Isaiah 33:22 affirm God's roles as judge, lawgiver, and king?

3. In what ways can we rely on God for salvation today?

4. How does Isaiah 33:22 connect with James 4:12 about God as lawgiver?

5. How can acknowledging God's authority in Isaiah 33:22 impact daily decision-making?

6. What practical steps can we take to trust God as our ultimate judge?

7. How does Isaiah 33:22 define God's role as judge, lawgiver, and king?

8. What historical context influenced the writing of Isaiah 33:22?

9. How does Isaiah 33:22 relate to the concept of divine justice?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 33?

What Does Isaiah 33:22 Mean

For the LORD is our Judge

- “For the LORD is our Judge” (Isaiah 33:22) reminds us that ultimate justice flows from God alone.

- Abraham trusted this truth when he said, “Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” (Genesis 18:25).

- Psalm 75:7 echoes, “It is God who judges; He brings one down, He exalts another.”

- Because He is perfectly righteous, His verdicts are never biased, never late, and never wrong (Deuteronomy 32:4).

- Knowing God as Judge prompts sober living (2 Corinthians 5:10) but also deep comfort for the oppressed (Psalm 9:8–10).

the LORD is our lawgiver

- The same God who judges also gives the standard by which we are judged: “the LORD is our lawgiver” (Isaiah 33:22).

- At Sinai He wrote His commands with His own finger (Exodus 31:18); today His Word still stands unbroken (Matthew 5:17–18).

- James 4:12 affirms, “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy.”

- His statutes are never burdensome but life-giving: “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul” (Psalm 19:7).

- Because He authored the law, He alone defines right and wrong, leaving no room for shifting cultural standards (Malachi 3:6).

the LORD is our King

- Israel once clamored for an earthly monarch, but Isaiah reminds them—and us—that “the LORD is our King.”

- Samuel had already declared, “The LORD your God was your King” (1 Samuel 12:12).

- His kingship is both personal and universal: “God is King of all the earth” (Psalm 47:7) and will one day be “King over all the earth” visibly (Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 19:16).

- A King provides protection, provision, and purpose; this King never abdicates, never loses a battle, and never taxes His people unjustly (Psalm 145:13).

It is He who will save us

- Having the titles Judge, Lawgiver, and King could be terrifying—until we read the next line: “It is He who will save us.”

- Isaiah elsewhere sings, “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid” (Isaiah 12:2).

- Salvation has always belonged to the LORD (Psalm 3:8); the cross revealed how He would accomplish it (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).

- Acts 4:12 declares, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

- Because rescue comes from the same One who judges, gives law, and reigns, our assurance is rock-solid (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 10:28).

summary

Isaiah 33:22 gathers four towering truths: the LORD judges with perfect righteousness, issues flawless law, reigns as sovereign King, and personally steps in to save His people. Each title alone would shape our view of God; together they paint a portrait of absolute authority married to boundless mercy. Therefore we live in holy reverence, confident obedience, loyal allegiance, and joyful hope—because the One who holds the gavel, the statute book, and the crown also holds out nail-scarred hands to rescue us.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) The Lord is our judge . . .--The verb is better omitted, and the threefold iteration of the name of Jehovah, in each case with a special characteristic, taken as the subject of the final verb: "The Lord, our judge, the Lord, our lawgiver . . . He will save us."

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

For
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

is our Judge,
שֹׁפְטֵ֔נוּ (šō·p̄ə·ṭê·nū)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 8199: To judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigate

the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

is our lawgiver,
מְחֹקְקֵ֑נוּ (mə·ḥō·qə·qê·nū)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 2710: To hack, engrave, to enact, prescribe

the LORD
יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

is our King.
מַלְכֵּ֖נוּ (mal·kê·nū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 4428: A king

He
ה֥וּא (hū)
Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

will save us.
יוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ׃ (yō·wō·šî·‘ê·nū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common plural
Strong's 3467: To be open, wide, free, to be safe, to free, succor

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OT Prophets: Isaiah 33:22 For Yahweh is our judge (Isa Isi Is)