Isaiah 52:1

God called on Israel to awake and to be strong (in the strength that God provides). The Israelites did not need to call on Him to awake and to be strong, as they had done (Isaiah 51:9). He was ready to save them. But were they ready to trust Him for their salvation (cf. Isaiah 40:27-31; Isaiah 42:23-25; Isaiah 43:22-24; Isaiah 45:9-13; Isaiah 45:15; Isaiah 45:18-19; Isaiah 46:8-13; Isaiah 48:1-22; Isaiah 49:14 to Isaiah 50:3)? The Lord instructed the people of Zion to put on the beautiful garments of salvation that God would provide for them. How He would provide salvation for them is the subject of the next Servant Song (Isaiah 52:13 to Isaiah 53:12). God saw His people as comprising a holy city, and they needed to view themselves that way too, as holy people (cf. Isaiah 4:2-6; 1 Corinthians 1:2). References to Jerusalem as "the holy city" appear in Nehemiah 11:1; Nehemiah 11:18; Isaiah 48:2; Isaiah 52:1; Daniel 9:24; Matthew 4:5; Matthew 27:53; and Revelation 11:2. The Lord would forbid any uncommitted and unclean people from having a part in His future for them.

"Notwithstanding the priestly house of Aaron and the royal house of David, the ideal of a royal, priestly people (Exodus 19:4-6) had never been realized, but while Zion slept (1a) a marvel occurred so that on waking she finds new garments laid out (1bc), expressive of a new status of holiness (1d)." [Note: Motyer, p. 416. Cf. Zechariah 3.]