What does Isaiah 49:15-16 mean?

Isaiah 49:15-16 (KJV) reads: "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands." It sits in Isaiah chapter 49, a piece of prophetic vision of judgement and Messianic hope from the Old Testament, and is most often read as a verse about thinking of you. The meaning sharpens when you read the verses immediately around it and notice how Isaiah as a whole is arguing its case.

What is the context of Isaiah 49:15-16 in Isaiah?

Isaiah 49:15-16 belongs to Isaiah 49, which fits inside Isaiah's wider message as prophetic vision of judgement and Messianic hope. Before applying the verse, read at least the paragraph it appears in so you can see who is speaking, who is being addressed, and what situation prompted the words.

Is Isaiah 49:15-16 from the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 49:15-16 is from the Old Testament — specifically the book of Isaiah, chapter 49. That matters because Old Testament verses are usually addressed first to ancient Israel under the Mosaic covenant, and Christians read them through the lens of Christ's fulfilment.

What translation of Isaiah 49:15-16 is used here?

Every verse on Bible Sundays is quoted from the King James Version (KJV), the public-domain English translation first published in 1611. We use the KJV consistently so the wording you memorise on one page matches the wording on every other page of the site.

How can I memorise Isaiah 49:15-16?

Read Isaiah 49:15-16 aloud three times, write it out by hand once, then try to recite it from memory. Repeat morning and evening for a week. Pair it with the theme of thinking of you so your mind has a natural retrieval cue. Reviewing on day 1, day 3, day 7 and day 30 locks it in for the long term.

How should I apply Isaiah 49:15-16 today?

Identify one specific situation in the next 24 hours — a conversation, a decision, a fear, a temptation around thinking of you — where Isaiah 49:15-16 should change your response. Pray the verse back to God for that situation, then act on it. Application is what turns reading into obedience.

Thinking of You Card Verse

Isaiah 49:15-16 for Thinking of You Cards

A free, printable, share-ready KJV card verse. Pick a theme, download as a high-resolution image, or copy the text for handwritten cards.

For Thinking of You

“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.”

Isaiah 49:15-16

King James Versionbiblesundays.com

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Why Isaiah 49:15-16 works for thinking of you cards

God never forgets you — your name is engraved on His hands.

"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands."

Read Isaiah 49 (KJV) →

How to use this thinking of you card

Pick a theme above that matches the recipient's taste — botanical for weddings and showers, midnight for solemn occasions, kraft for rustic.
Download the PNG at 1200×1500 — Pinterest-optimized and high enough resolution for printing on standard 5×7 cardstock.
Send digitally via text, email, or social, or print and pair with a handwritten note inside.
Reference the chapter — readers often want to look up the surrounding context. Tap the link above to read Isaiah 49 in the KJV.

More Thinking of You card verses

Philippians 1:3

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."

1 Thessalonians 1:2

"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers."

Psalm 139:17-18

"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand."

Romans 1:9

"For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers."

Ephesians 1:16

"Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers."

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil."

Psalm 121:7-8

"The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore."

Romans 15:13

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope."

See all 11 thinking of you card verses →