Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

ISAIAH 51:11KJV
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Isaiah 51:11 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 51:11 mean?

Isaiah 51:11 describes how those whom the LORD has rescued will return to Zion, singing with joy that lasts forever, and all their sadness and grief will disappear. The verse promises a complete reversal of sorrow for the redeemed, replacing it with unending gladness and celebration.

In this part of Isaiah, God is speaking through the prophet to comfort His people, who have experienced suffering and exile. The verse paints a vivid picture of a joyful homecoming to Zion (Jerusalem), assuring the people that God’s salvation will bring lasting happiness and freedom from pain. The focus is on hope and restoration for those who belong to the LORD.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 51:11

  • "redeemed" (פָּדָה, pādāh): This word means to be rescued or ransomed, often with the sense of being bought back from danger or captivity. It highlights that the people’s return is not by their own strength but by God’s saving action.
  • "singing" (רִנָּה, rinnah): This word refers to joyful, loud singing or shouting, emphasizing the overflowing happiness of the returnees as they come back to Zion.
  • "everlasting" (עוֹלָם, ʿolam): This word means something that lasts forever or for an indefinite future. The joy described here is not temporary but enduring, pointing to a deep and lasting change in the people’s situation.
  • "sorrow" (יָגוֹן, yāgōn) and "mourning" (אֲנָחָה, ʾanāḥāh): These words highlight the deep pain and grief the people have experienced, which will now "flee away"—a strong image of complete relief and transformation.

Why Isaiah 51:11 matters

  • Isaiah 51:11 clarifies that the joy and restoration promised by God are not fleeting but are described as "everlasting," addressing any fear that relief might be short-lived.
  • The verse connects directly to the wider theme of Isaiah 40–55, where God reassures His people that their suffering and exile are not the end, but that He will bring them back with joy.
  • By using words like "redeemed" and "Zion," Isaiah 51:11 ties the people’s hope to God’s faithfulness and the special relationship between God and Jerusalem, making it clear that the return is both physical and spiritual.

Where else these words appear

“mourning” Hebrew H585 · used in 11 verses

  • Job 3:24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.
  • Psalms 31:10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
  • Isaiah 21:2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.

“sorrow” Hebrew H3015 · used in 14 verses

  • Genesis 42:38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
  • Psalms 31:10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
  • Jeremiah 8:18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.

“gladness” Hebrew H8342 · used in 22 verses

  • Esther 8:16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.
  • Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
  • Jeremiah 16:9 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.

“singing” Hebrew H7440 · used in 33 verses

  • 1 Kings 8:28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:
  • Psalms 105:43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:
  • Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.