Isaiah 26:2 (YLT)

Passage

Open ye the gates, that enter may a righteous nation, Preserving stedfastness.

Nearby Context

Isaiah 26:1 In that day sung is this song in the land of Judah: `We have a strong city, Salvation He doth make walls and bulwark.

Isaiah 26:2 Open ye the gates, that enter may a righteous nation, Preserving stedfastness.

Isaiah 26:3 An imagination supported Thou fortifiest peace--peace! For in Thee it is confident.

Isaiah 26:4 Trust ye in Jehovah for ever, For in Jah Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> a rock of ages,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "open", "gates", "enter", "righteous", "nation", "preserving", and "stedfastness". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "open" and "gates", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 1's "In that day sung is this song..." into verse 3's "An imagination supported Thou fortifiest peace--peace For...", so "open" and "gates" belong inside that flow. In Isaiah context, the local focus is the Holy One of Israel, judgment and restoration, the servant of the LORD, and Zion's hope.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "open" and "gates" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.