Isaiah 44:23

This verse concludes the thought expressed in the preceding one, thus many translations and commentators regard it as the end of the preceding section. However, it is a hymnic call to praise similar to the one in Isaiah 42:10-13, and it seems to introduce what follows, as that earlier call to praise did. The content of the praise also points ahead to what follows, rather then backward to what has preceded. It provides a very smooth transition.

Isaiah again called on all the elements of the created universe to witness something. Earlier they witnessed Israel’s rebellion (cf. Isaiah 1:2), but now they witness Israel’s salvation. As in the previous verse (Isaiah 44:22), redemption is spoken of as already complete. This is the translation of the Hebrew prophetic perfect tense verb that speaks of things in the future as though they had already happened in the past-because they are certain to occur. A future redemption is in view that will manifest Yahweh’s glory. This becomes clear in the verses that follow.