&gt; Lisp macros are essentially higher order function definitions.<p>Definitely not. Lisp already has higher order functions. Macros are something entirely different.<p>&gt; They can be trivially applied using decorators in Python and closures in Javascript (JS decorators will be supported in ES7).<p>Of course not. Decorators and closures are in no way related to Lisp macros.<p>There is enough literature about Lisp macros... 
For example a certain Paul Graham wrote a book explaining them in detail:<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.paulgraham.com&#x2F;onlisp.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.paulgraham.com&#x2F;onlisp.html</a>