The people have appealed to God not to withhold his compassion from them. Now they present arguments why God should act on their behalf. Revised Standard Version follows the Hebrew of this verse closely, preserving a poetic format, which results in a text that does not read smoothly. Good News Translation gives its meaning clearly, choosing a prose format.
For thou art our Father: The Hebrew particle ki rendered For may be a logical connector or an emphatic marker (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh with “Surely”). Good News Translation leaves it implied. The people first affirm that the LORD is their Father. They repeat this claim in the last half of the verse to emphasize their relationship with God and thus their claim on God’s goodness (see also 64.8). It is an appeal to history and leads into the last line of the verse that Yahweh is the one who redeemed them long ago.
Though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us: The people contrast their relationship with Yahweh with the attitude of their ancestors Abraham and Israel (that is, Jacob). These two personal names represent their forefathers generally. There have been many attempts to interpret what these lines mean, but no interpretation is fully adequate. Some commentators have suggested that the people invited the ancestors to help them, but that they did not. The suggestion that seems best is that the words imply that none other than Yahweh himself is able to help the people. He is their real father, not their ancestors, since he is the one who actually brought them into being as a nation. The verb phrases does not know us and does not acknowledge us probably mean the forefathers are unaware of the people’s present situation and their needs.
Thou, O LORD, art our Father repeats the line at the beginning of the verse. It underscores that their relationship with the LORD is the grounds for their appeal for help.
Our Redeemer from of old is thy name picks up the theme of God as the one who redeemed the people from Egypt, and in later times from Babylonia. For the divine title Redeemer, see the comments on 41.14. The Hebrew expression rendered from of old is similar to the one for “the days of old” in verses 9 and 11. Both expressions refer to Israel’s ancient times, providing a link for the lament. The Israelites depended on God’s ongoing relationship that began in the Exodus. Long ago God made a name (that is, reputation) for himself by rescuing them from slavery in Egypt (see verses 12-14). This whole line may be rendered as two separate statements, referring to the LORD as Israel’s Redeemer and his reputation for it (see the examples below).
Translation examples for this verse are:
• Truly you are our Father.
Even though Abraham does not know our situation,
and Israel does not acknowledge us,
you, LORD, are our Father,
the one who rescued us;
your reputation was established long ago.
• Surely you are our Father.
Our forefathers Abraham and Jacob do not know us,
but you, LORD, are our Father.
You have been our Redeemer,
your reputation is an ancient one.
Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .