Changes were coming, some battles lay ahead. Any time a strong leader died, the nations around them would get restless, try to grab some territory, take advantage of the confusion in the country. Isaiah was probably hoping for a lift as he came to worship that day, maybe find some comfort in those good old hymns. And we know that feeling, too. You come to church anxious about what the days ahead will bring, you want a word of hope, a word of comfort.
Same thing happens in our gospel story.
Simon Peter has just rowed in from fishing all night when Jesus, his teacher, walks up. A big crowd follows him out from Capernaum because they've heard some interesting things about this Jesus. Peter is washing his nets from the night's fruitless fishing looking forward to nothing more than some fried eggs, a glass of goat's milk, and his bed when Jesus asks if he might use his boat for a pulpit, let the crowd gather round the shore, push the boat out ten or twenty yards and speak from there where everybody can see him. But Peter complies and listens politely to Jesus' teachings, nodding occasionally either from agreement or exhaustion. He stifles the yawns and scratches his eyes to stay awake.