"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."
— Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)
Isaiah 26:3 is the "perfect peace" verse. This page gives the verse, where it sits in Isaiah, and a plain reading. For more verses on the theme, see Bible verses about peace, Bible verses about the peace of God, and Bible verses about trust.
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The verse
Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) reads: "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."
The King James says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." "Keep" is natsar (H5341), to guard or watch over. "Perfect peace" is the Hebrew word for peace said twice, shalom shalom (H7965). "Mind" is yetser (H3336), what a person forms or frames in their thinking, and "steadfast" (KJV "stayed") is samak (H5564), to lean on or be propped up. "Trust" is batach (H982), to feel safe in someone.
Where it sits in Isaiah
Isaiah 26 is a song. It opens, "In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts" (Isaiah 26:1). The verse right after 26:3 gives the reason to trust: "Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal" (Isaiah 26:4).
What the verse is saying
The peace in this verse is something God does: "You will keep." The person's part is to lean their mind on him. Hebrew often repeats a word to make it stronger, so "peace, peace" means complete, settled peace.
The verse ties that peace to trust, not to easy circumstances. It was sung by people who needed a strong city and walls. Paul says something similar in Philippians 4:6-7, that prayer with thanksgiving brings "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding." For more, see Bible verses about anxiety and Bible verses about God's faithfulness.
Questions people ask
What does Isaiah 26:3 say?
In the NIV it says, "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." The KJV says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."
What does "perfect peace" mean in Isaiah 26:3?
The Hebrew says shalom shalom, peace repeated. Repeating a word is a Hebrew way of saying "complete" or "whole," so it means full, settled peace.
What does "whose mind is stayed on thee" mean?
"Stayed" translates samak, to lean on or be supported. It pictures a mind that rests its weight on God, the way you lean on something solid.
What is the verse after Isaiah 26:3?
Isaiah 26:4 says, "Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal."
What verse goes well with Isaiah 26:3?
John 14:27 says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you." 1 Peter 5:7 and Proverbs 3:5-6 also speak to trusting God with what weighs on you.
