CHAP. LXIV. V. 1-3. This chapter continues the prayer, begun in the preceding; which has been interpreted to be that of the first converts made from among the dispersed Jews, when the nation of Israel is about to be reinstated in the church. These supplicants perceive immense obstacles in the way ay of their desires being granted, especially from the power of their oppressors and adversaries: but they most earnestly call upon God to appear and remove them all.
They long for him to rend the visible heavens in some awful manner, and to melt the mountains that they might flow down as water at his presence; which he could do with the same facility, as the fire melts the wax, or the metal; or even as it causes the water to boil. Thus, he could make his name known to his adversaries, and put whole nations to confusion and consternation before him.
And this would be no unprecedented favor: for when he delivered Israel out of Egypt, he did such terrible things, to crush the power of their oppressors, as they had never looked for, or conceived an idea of: insomuch, that opposing difficulties, apparently like immoveable mountains, melted and vanished at his presence: and the supplicants only entreat a similar interposition, in order again to set them at liberty, and to reinstate them in their privileges. The commotion of mount Sinai, when the Lord came down upon it, is referred to in this allusion to their former deliverances. ( Marg .
Ref . a-c. g. -Notes , Ex . 19:16-20. Judg. 5:4,5. 2 Sam . 22:7-16. Ps . 68:7,8. Nah. 1:2-6. Hab. 3:2-10. Zech. 4: 4-7. Heb . 12:18-21,26--29.)-When thou didst, &c. (3) 'The words will bear another 'interpretation, which agrees better with what 'follows; "When thou shalt do terrible and 'unexpected things," (and visibly appear for 'the deliverance of thy people,) "the mountains 'shall melt at thy presence.", Lowth .
6. Heb. 4:16.
m Ps. 25:10. 37:4. 112:1. Acts
10:24. Phil. 3:13-15. n 26:8,9. 56:1-7.
0 63:10. Ps. 90:7-9.
p 103:17,18. Jer. 31:19-20, Hos 6:3. 11:8,9. Mal. 3:6.
q 6:5. 53:6. Job 14:4. 15:14-16. 25:4. 40:4. 42:5,6. Ps. 51:5. Rom. 7:18,24. Eph. 2:1,2. Tit.
3:3.
God, except JEHOVAH, who had wrought such wonders for his people. ( Notes , 43:8-13. Deut. 4:32-40.) St.
Paul quotes the sense, (though not the exact words of it,) with reference to the blessings of redemption by the death of Christ: ( Note , 1 Cor . 2:6-9, v . 9.) and perhaps the leading idea here may be, that nothing too great can be expected from that incomprehensible love, which has provided such a salvation for sinful men. ( Notes , Rom . 5:6-10. 8:28 -31.)-In many places, the inspired writers of the New Testament quote from the Septuagint: but in this and many other instances, where that version materially varies from the Hebrew, they do not.
T They give the sense of the passage referred to, as applicable applicable to the subject before them: but do not confine themselves to a strictly literal translation. The expression, "As it is written," (1 Cor . 2:9.) uniformly in the New Testament, means a reference to the sacred writings, "the oracles of God," and which were revered as such by the Jews; and cannot be understood of any other records.
subject
V. 5. 'Thou hast heretofore given merciful 'proofs of thy favor to our forefathers, who rejoiced in thee and walked bolily before thee; 'and so thou art ready to do to those, who aw'fully and thankfully adore thee in thy ways of justice and mercy. But, ... thou art displeased 'with us, for we have done wickedly before 'thee: whereas, if we had the grace to continue 'in those ways of thine, we should be sure to 'be saved.' Bp . Hall .
"Thou shewedst favor toward our fathers, when they trusted in thee, 'and walked after thy commandments: they 'considered thy great mercies.'-"In them is continuance;" that is, "in thy mercies, which he calleth the ways of the LORD." ( Ps . 25:10.) - "Thou hast met him who rejoiced and wrought righteousness: these" (all of this character in every age,) "will remember thee in thy ways.
Behold thou hast been angry, for we have sinned: in these," (in thy ways) "is perpetuity, and we shall be saved;" or "may be saved." This is a literal translation of the verse, which is considered by Bishop Lowth as inexplicable, without entirely conjectural alterations of the text. - "The mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting," (the very Hebrew word here used,) "upon them that fear him." ( Ps . 103:17.) "He waits" per petually on his mercy-seat, "to be gracious; "he meets" his worshippers, through every generation, in his ordinances.
In these is perpetuity ; they are not like the changeable fashions and customs of men: and therefore, though the God of Israel had been wroth with his people for their sins: yet they had now be
V. 4. No man, from the beginning of the world, had heard, seen, or conceived an idea of any thing so great, glorious, or excellent, as what God himself had devised and prepared for those "who waited for him:" and the displays of the divine power and glory, which the people of God yet wait for, will far exceed all that hitherto has been experienced, witnessed, or recorded, since the beginning; and can only be properly conceived of by God himself. Some explain the verse to mean, that no peo-gun to seek him, as the God who had met and ple had ever heard or conceived of any other blessed their fathers, when they rejoiced in
obeying and serving him, and they trusted that he would meet and save them also. (Notes, Ps . 37:4. 112:1. Mal. 3:13-18, v. 1618. 4:2,3. John 7:14-17, v. 17. Acts 10:1-S.) The original word )עולס( rendered "continuance," means an indefinite duration, the beginning or termination of which is hidden from Notat integram cujusque rei, de qua ser'mo est, durationem.' (See Robertson's Thesaurus.)-We have been guilty of great offences, 'whereby we have provoked thine anger; but
man.
'thy mercies endure for ever, and thy gracious 'promises are still the same: and encour'ages us still to trust in thy goodness.' Lowth . V. 6-8. The best actions of the best men
'have a great alloy of imperfection. When the 'Hebrew language would express the most ex
9 Be not wroth very sore, O Lord; neither dremember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.
10 Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burnt up with fire; and all our pleasant things are laid waste.
12 Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace and afflict us very sore?
naments ," (for there is no epithet,) is obscure and ambiguous; and these penitents, in confessing their own sins and those of their nation, are supposed only to mean the sins of their past lives, or present actual transgressions, without any humiliating acknowledgment of the imperfection found in their repentance, prayers, and best services. How far Christians should adopt the strong language of our translation, in respect of those righteousnesses which are "the fruits of the Spirit," is another question. "The fruits of the Spirit" are in them
selves most excellent; but the good works which the best of men perform, are not the unmingled "fruits of the Spirit;" for the remainder of in-dwelling sin greatly alloys them. They are all defective, as to reverence, faith,
'cellent in its kind, it makes use of the plural love, gratitude, and fervency, and are therefore
'number.... Here "righteousness" is the most 'perfect righteousness men can attain to, Lowth . The converted remnant, supplicating in behalf of the Jews, are evidently taught to confess their own sins, as well as those of the nation in every age. ( Note , 53:4-6.) Instead of "the people of God's holiness," as they were by profession, "they were all as an unclean thing." Instead of the robe of righteousness and salvation before spoken of, ( Note , 61:10,11.) "all their righteous deeds were as a rejected garment;" ( Bp . Lowth ;) a garment thrown away, as polluted and worthless.
Not only the moral, ritual, or traditional works, (by which the Jews had long sought to justify themselves, neglecting the Savior and his righteousness,) were abominable, because proud, hypocritical, and unbelieving; but even their present endeavors to seek and serve God, were so imperfect, and mixed with defilement, that they were wholly unmeet to form a robe, in which to appear in his holy presence. A singular noun, like that plural here rendered "filthy rags," is frequently rendered ornament , or ornaments , (49:18. Ex . 33:4,6. 2 Sam . 1:24.
Ez . 16:7,11.) and some would render it so here, and explain it exclusively of "works done to be seen of men;" 'ostentatious, hypocritical, 'and vain-glorious services, designed both to 'acquire human applause, and make compen
"rags;" they are all mixed with what is positively wrong, as wandering, foolish, and sinful imaginations, or improper motives; and so "polluted," and unmeet to form their robe of righteousness before God. And the more humble and spiritual men become, the greater abhorrence have they of this corrupt alloy; the more they notice, lament, and confess it; and the readier they are, without affectation or direct intention, to use the most humiliating language of scripture concerning themselves and their services. ( Marg . Ref . q, r.)-Because of these things, however, the prosperity of Israel was as "a withered leaf;" their iniquities had been as the wind to scatter them abroad throughout the earth: ( Note , Jer. 4:11-13, v. 12.) and there was scarcely one of them, who heartily called upon God, or exerted himself to lay
lay hold by faith, on his power, truth, and love: for he had hid his face from them, and they were consumed, or dissolved , because of their iniquities. Yet they would still plead with the Lord, as their heavenly father; ( Notes , 63 : 11--19. Matt. 6:9.) they confided in his wisdom and mercy; and, being the work of his creating power, as individuals, and chosen nation, they were willing to be disposed of at his pleasure, like clay in the hand of the potter. ( Marg . Ref . z, a.- Notes , 29:13-16. 45:9,10. Jer. 18:1-6. Rom . 9:19-21)
as his
'sation for the want of true holiness.' ( Notes , V. 9-12. The supplicants here continue to Matt . 6:1-6.)-But this construction is con- deprecate the extremity of the Lord's displeastrary to most, if not all, the old versions; the ure, and his perpetua! remembrance of their expression, "all our righteousnesses are as or -sins: they still plead with him, as his people,
chosen as such in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and call upon him to consider the desolations of their laud. The cities, once inhabited by his worshippers, are now either entirely destroyed, or inhabited by infidels and idolaters, especially Jerusalem their holy city; and their temple with all its furniture and ordinances are utterly wasted: and would not the Lord be satisfied with these their long continued miseries? Would he still refrain from interposing? Would he reject their prayers, and still persist in his hot displeasure to afflict them?
All these circumstances fix the prophetical meaning to the Jewish nation, rather than to the Christian church.
And the desolations and miseries of the Jews, since their rejection of the gospel have so immensely exceeded, in degree and continuance, all they before endured; that, (though we need not exclude the Babylonish captivity, or even the ravages and profanations of Antiochus Epiphanes,) we must consider their condition, from the days of Christ to the present time, at length to terminate in the conversion of Israel, and restoration to the holy city and land, as the grand accomplishment of these predictions. (Notes, Gen. 49:10.
Deut . 4:25-28. 28:28-64.) -It should be kept in mind, that there were no tokens of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, or of the desolations of the land, when Isaiah wrote this prophecy.
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. The difficulties, which occur in our path or work, should excite us to more vigorous exercises of faith in the omnipotence and faithfulness of God, and to more fervent prayers for his interposition; for when he pleases to "rend the heavens and come down," the most insuperable obstacles remove in an instant: and we can never want a prevalent plea with him thus to interpose, when we are seeking the glory of his name, and the enlargement or prosperity of his church: for he will assuredly "make his name known to his adversaries, that the nations may tremble at his presence." ( Note , Rev. 1:7.)-The deliverances, which the Lord works for his people, are sometimes as unexpected, in the manner and season of them, as his terrible judgments on his enemies are to them. The sacred rec
patiently wait for him to terminate our sorrows and complete our joys.
If he have taught us to "rejoice in working righteousness," and to "remember him in his ways;" he will doubtless meet us with supports and comforts in his ordinances, and perfect his work in us. have indeed grievously sinned, and provoked him to anger: yet Jesus continually intercedes; the way of access and acceptance is always open; and those who come to the Father by him, shall be "saved to the uttermost," and for ever.-But we must confess, that by nature "we are all as an unclean thing, and that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." Thus it was with every one of us, when strangers or enemies to Lim: and even now our few good works, in which there is real excellency as "the fruits of the Spirit," are so defective and defiled as performed by us , that they need to be washed in "the Fountain opened for sin and uncleanness." They, therefore, who confide in their own merits, will fade as a leaf, and will be driven, by the wrath of God against their iniquities, into eternal misery. -But alas! how few are there, who even appear to call on the Lord with their whole hearts, or stir themselves up to lay hold of him!
Without this earnestness we cannot hope to prevail: but the vilest prodigal, who, being "come to himself," desires to return to God with humble confessions and supplications, may approach him as a Father, and plead with him, as the "work of his hands;" nor need he hesitate to cast himself unreservedly on his sovereign mercy, to be disposed of as he pleases.
This seems to unbelief a desperate venture, but it is in fact our only safety: for in this manner we engage all the promises and perfections of God on our side; which are all against us, whilst we refuse unreserved submission, urge self-excusing pleas, or allow any other confidence. But it well consists with this unreserved submission, to deprecate the severity of God's deserved wrath, and to pray to be visited with the salvation of his people.
Even they, who are consciously unworthy to ask the least favor for themselves, in their own name, will be most graciously accepted, when they plead, in the name of Christ, for their fellow sinners and for the church of God: and though he may delay for a time to
ords of the ancient church have been transmit-answer their prayers, that he may exercise
ted to us, to encourage our hopes and prayers, for personal and public mercies, according to the promises, and the nature of our dispensation. But who has heard, or seen, or conceived, any thing equal to the love of God, in "sending his Son to be the propitiation for our sins?" Can we really believe this truth, and then think any thing too great, to be expected from his power, truth, and mercy? We have very faint conceptions of the glorious things, which are prepared for his church on earth; and our ideas of the felicities of heaven are far more inadequate: let us then trust in his word, and
their humble faith and patience; yet he will not always "refrain himself and hold his peace" "or afflict very sore;" any of those, who call upon his name and hope in his mercy, through the atonement and intercession of Emmanuel.
NOTES.