Fear not, for I am with you: Yahweh says this to comfort the Israelites who feel he has abandoned them. The Hebrew verb rendered fear has its usual sense of “being afraid,” not that of being in awe (see the comments on Isa 41.5). The command to fear not is found often in Isaiah (see the comments on 7.4). For I am with you is the reason why the Israelites should not be afraid. God assures them that he is with them even though they remain in exile in Babylonia, which faces an outside threat from Cyrus. His presence assures them that the situation will be to their benefit. For this whole line Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “Fear not, I stand by you!”
Be not dismayed, for I am your God is parallel to the previous line. The meaning of the Hebrew verb rendered be … dismayed is uncertain. It could come from a root meaning “to look” or “to gaze.” If so, in this context be not dismayed may be translated “do not gaze in wonderment and awe.” Bible en français courant has “do not give those worried looks.” Others believe this verb comes from a root meaning “to be afraid.” We prefer this sense here since it fits the context well. Good News Translation translates “let nothing terrify you!” and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “Be not frightened.” For I am your God is another grounds for not being afraid. God assures the Israelites that he remains in a covenant relationship with them, so they do not need to be frightened.
I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you …: Once again three synonymous expressions are used to make a strong point. God assures the Israelites that he will help them. The Hebrew conjunction ʾap (meaning “also”) is used twice to connect the three verbs in these two lines, which are literally “I will strengthen you, also I will help you, also I will uphold you….” The double use of this conjunction conveys an added sense of certainty to God’s words. I will strengthen you means he will give the Israelites the strength they need in their difficult situation. As noted at verse 6, the verb help is a keyword in this section. I will uphold you means God will support and sustain them.
With my victorious right hand is literally “with the right hand of my righteousness/victory/salvation.” The metaphor of the right hand is a significant one in the Old Testament. It is the hand used in blessing (see Gen 48.14, 17). Often it is symbolic of God’s power (see, for example, Exo 15.6, 12; Psa 48.10; 80.15, 17; 89.13), which is the sense it has in this context. The right hand here is described as victorious, that is, it gives victory. The Hebrew word rendered victorious is the same one translated “victory” in verse 2, referring to a righteous/just victory. This whole phrase can refer to God’s righteous power (see the first example below) or his power that brings a just victory (see the second example below). Most translations consulted retain the metaphor here; for example, New Jerusalem Bible has “with my saving right hand.” Good News Translation renders it nonfiguratively, saying “I will … save you.” If translators cannot keep the metaphor, they may use an expression that refers to God’s righteous power or his saving action.
Several translation examples for this verse are:
• Don’t be afraid! The reason is that I am with you.
Do not be scared! The reason is that I am your God.
I will give you strength, I will help you,
I will sustain you with my righteous power.
• Do not fear, for I am with you.
Do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will give you strength, I will help you,
I will assure you of a just victory.
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 .