Isaiah 26

A song of praise, whereby the people of the Jews thank God for their deliverance, ver.1. &c. Together with an exhortation to trust in God, 4. And to walk in his ways, 7. How necessary the Lords rods are, 9. But the wicked are and remain still hardened, 10. How the Lord did deal with the Jews, 15. Their repentance, 16. Their hope and Comfort, 19.

1. In that day [To wit, when the people of the Jews shall be delivered out of the Babylonish captivity, and the children of God out of the hands of their enemies, both corporal, and especially spiritual] shall this song be sung in the land of Juda: [that is, in the Church of God, wheresoever the same shall be at this time; for under the name of Juda is oftentimes meant the Church of God,] we have a strong city [the Church is so called, because she is strong and sure (and continueth so) under Gods protection. Heb. A city of strength, that is, a city of power] (God) appointeth [Heb. He appointeth: to wit, God] salvation for walls and outworks [Or, fore-wall fences, and bulwarks. The meaning is, the salvation which God giveth it, is that wall and strength thereof, whereon it may safely rely he will preserve and keep it; well thereby, so that even the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, Matth.16.18. Or thus, God who is our salvation, (or our saviour and deliverer) will be the wall (or, protector) of this city, (that is, of his Church) therefore it shall be strong, yea invincible.]

2. Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth faithfulnesses, my enter in. [In these words the faithful exhort one another. Others, to receive and entertain those that offer themselves to the communion or fellowship of Saints. Compare Psal.118.19,20. (the righteous nation) that is, the elect people of God, which are justified by faith in Christ, and keep all truth and faithfulness (which keepeth faithfulness) that is, steadfastly which keepeth the truth or faithfulness which it hath promised to God and men. Others, which keepeth, or, preserveth all faithfulness.]

3. It is a settled purpose, [Or, thought, decree; to wit, with thee, O God] thou [O God] walt keep all manner of peace [Heb. Peace, peace; that is, all manner of peace: Or, durable, strong continual peace. And understand by the word peace all manner of salvation and prosperity. See Gen.37.on vers.14.] for they trusted in thee. Others. That (to wit, people) which is settled in thoughts, wilt thou keep in all manner of peace, for it trusted in thee. The sense or meaning whereof is, that people, which being once justified, verse 2. Is not wavering or unconstant in mind. See Jam.1.ver.6,8. Some read this third verse thus, (whose) purpose is sure, or, stedfast (in thee) unto him wilt thou keep a sure, or, stedfast peace, when he trusteth in thee.]

4. Trust in the LORD forever, [Here the faithful do again exhort one another] for in the Lord Lord (there) is an everlasting rock. [Others, consisteth the rock of ages; that is, the everlasting rock. The meaning is, he that is indeed the everlasting God, he is an everlasting strong rock unto those that go to him for refuge.]

5. For he howeth down the high-seated ones, [To wit, the Babylonians, together with other mighty and powerful enemies of his Church, them that dwell on high. See above chap.25.ver.12.] the exalted city: [meaning the city of Babel] he abaseth it, he abaseth it unto the ground, [of the repetition of one and the same word, see Ezek.21.on ver.9.] he causeth it to reach unto the other.

6. The foot shall tread it down, the feet of the afflicted, [Or, of him that is wasted away, or, consumed away] the steps of the poor, [the meaning is, Although believers be poor and contemptible in the eyes of the world, and are for a while grievously persecuted and oppressed by their enemies, yet at length they got the victory by the power of God, and trod as it were with their feet upon their enemies.]

7. The path of the just is wholly even: Heb. Are righteousnesses, or, uprightnesses; that is, were uprightness] the going of the just thou weighest aright, [that is, in a just or right balance. Others, the path of the just is wholly even, O thou righteous one, thou weighest the path (that is, the way) of the just. Others, The Way of the just are righteousnesses, he is righteous, thou shalt weigh the track of the just: Or, ponder thou the track of the just. That is, do thou, O God, weigh or consider, whether the just be not wholly upright, and whether his way be not just and righteous.]

8. Also we, O LORD, have waited for thee in the way of thy judgements: the desire of (our) soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee, [The meaning is, even now at this time when thou dost visit us so sorely by the Babylonians, yet notwithstanding we do still wait upon thee, and hope in thy saving help, and we desire and wish with all our hearts that thy name may be magnified, and always had in remembrance, to thy praise and glory, both by us and others. The godly are not like unto the wicked, that fall foul upon God, when he smiteth them with his rod. See Psal.44.ver.18,19,&c.

9. (With) my soul have I [That is, we thy people, everyone of us] desired thee [to wit, by prayer] in the night, also (with) my spirit, (which) is in the uttermost (parts) of me will I seek thee early: [See Job chap.7.on verse 21.] for when thy judgements [that is, punishments, or chastisements] are on the earth, then the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness, [the meaning is, by the chastiments or punishments, are those that are gone astray brought again into the right way, and learn to mind the commandments of God. See Psal.119.vers.67. and ver.71.]

10. Let favour be shewed to the wicked, (yet) doth be not learn righteousness, he committeth iniquity, in a most upright land, [Heb. In the land of uprightnesses; That is, in the land where the word of God is taught, which sheweth the right way to salvation. The meaning is, although they be in the outward fellowship and communion of the Church, yet notwithstanding they lead a wicked and ungodly life] and he considereth not the highness of the Lord, others, therefore he shall not see the highness (or, glory, or, Majesty) of the Lord.

11. LORD, (through) thy hand be lifted up, (yet) they [To wit, thine enemies, the wicked] see it not: [that is, though thy great and wonderful works be manifest and apparent to the eyes, yet they perceive it not] (but) they shall see it, [that is, they shall be forced to see it, whether they will or no; namely, when by thy great judgements, and to their own utter ruin and destruction they shall find, how strong and powerful thou art for to punish thine enemies] and be ashamed, (because of) the zeal (for thy) people, [Heb. (because of) the zeal of the people. The meaning is, they shall be ashamed, when they shall see the great zeal which thou shalt shew in delivering thy people out of the hand of their enemies] also the fire [of the word fire taken for the wrath and vengeance of God, see Job 20.on ver.26. and Job 22.on ver.20.] shall consume thine adversaries, [others, by the zeal of thy people (that is, by the zeal wherewith thou art kindled over thy people) by the fire of thine enemies (that is, whereby thou hatest thine enemies) shalt thou consume them. According to which sense two causes are here shewed, which moved God to punish the wicked, of whom is spoken ver.10. First, the Love which he beareth unto his people. Secondly, the fierce anger wherewith he is kindled against his enemies]

12. LORD, thou wilt ordain [Or give, grant] peace unto us: for thou also hast performed all our affairs [Or wrought all our works] unto us [or, for us, or, in us. That is, whatsoever was needful for us either in soul or in body, that hast thou procured for us]

13. LORD our God, (other) lords besides thee, [To wit, the Babylonians, and other enemies of thy Church] have had dominion over us; (but) by thee onely will we remember thy name. [The meaning is, that we remain alive unto this day, we have cause to praise thee alone for it, and therefore are bound to bless and praise thy holy name, & to rely stedfastly upon thee.]

14. Being dead, they shall not live (again,) [That is, not become alive again, and consequently they shall not hinder us anymore from praising thy name. See Exod.14. and 15.] being deceased, [See the Annotat. Job 26.on vers.5.] they [to wit, those enemies, not others like unto them] shall not rise: [to wit, for to live here upon the earth] therefore hast thou visited them,] to wit, in thine anger] and hast destroyed them, and thou hast made all their enemies to perish.

15. Thou O LORD, hadst increased this people, [To wit, the Jews, Heb. Thou hadst added unto this people; that is, given them many blessings. Or, as some, added many judgements to them: by both which God getteth glory unto himself] thou hadst increased this people, [of the like repetition of one word, see above on vers.5.] thou wast glorified, to wit, by the mercies shewed unto this people. Others, thou wast grieved; to wit, by the sins which they committed against thee, (therefore) thou hast &c. [the Hebrew word signifieth to glorify, it signifieth also to grieve, but thou hast removed them far [that is, driven them far away, banished them out of the land; to wit for their sins] (into) all the ends of the earth.

16. LORD, in trouble have they [To wit, the people, when thou didst chastise them] visited thee: [that is, they called upon thee for help] they powered out their still prayer, [the Hebrew word Lachus, signifieth properly a soft or low kind of muttering which can hardly be heard, as 1 Sam.1.13. the Prophet will shew hereby, that in their distresses they sighed or groned unto God, and prayed in a still and silent manner, which is a loud cry in the ears of God, Exod.14.14.] When thy chastening was upon them. [That is, when thou didst chasten them.]

17. As a woman with child, when she draweth near to travailing, hath sorrows, and crieth out in her pangs: [Compare Joh.16.21.] so have we been, [to wit, in the Babylonish captivity] O Lord, because of thy face. [That is, because of thine anger. See Gen.32. the Annotat. On vers.20. and Psal.21.on vers.10.]

18. We were with child [That is, we were in great affliction and misery] we had sorrows, [to wit, like a woman in travail] (but) we brought forth (nothing) but wind: [that is, we troubled our selves in vain, how we should get out of captivity and misery. To bring forth wind is as much to say as to labour in vain. Heb. We brought forth as it were a wind] we brought no safety [or, deliverance, or, salvation] to the land [that is, to the land of Juda, our own country; [that is, we were no able by our own strength to smite & subdue our enemies that had taken our land] neither did the inhabitants of the world [to wit, the Babylonians, that had possession of our land, and of other kingdoms and countries besides] fall down [or, they fell not: that is, they perished not.

19. Thy dead shall live, (also) my dead body, they shall rise: [By these words the Church in general and every believer in particular, do shew the sure confidence which they have concerning the blessed resurrection of the dead, to the glory of eternal life: whereof the deliverance out of the Babylonish captivity was to be a type and figure, and therefore was confidently to be expected and looked for by the Jews. Compare Ezek.Chap.37. (the dead shall live,) that is, they shall be delivered and raised up again by thy power, (also my dead body, they shall rise:) this every believing man speaketh for himself, or in his own person] awake, and shout, ye that dwell in the dust, [that is, ye that lie as it were in the graves] for thy dew shall be (as) a dew of pot-herbs, [that is, as a dew that falleth upon pot-herbs. Understand hereby, the grass, and all other herbs that grow out of the earth. The meaning is, the favour whereby thou shalt embrace us, shall cause us that are thy Church and people, to be so comforted and refreshed, as the dew doth refresh the green herbs] and the land shall cast out the dead. [Others, after that thou shalt have cast the giants (that is, the mighty and terrible enemies of thy people) down to the ground.]

20. Go thy ways, my people, enter into thy innermost chambers, and shut thy doors after thee. [Heb. Before thee, as 2 Kings 4:4.] hide thy self as it were for a little moment, [Compare 2 Cor.4.17.] until the indignation pass over. Hitherto extendeth this hymn of the people of God: now henceforth doth God, or the Prophet in the name of God, speak, exhorting the Church, to have yet a little patience, until the time of her deliverance become.]

21. For behold, the LORD shall go forth out of his place, [That is, out of heaven, Mich.3. Rom.1.18.] to visit the iniquity of the inhabitants of the earth upon them, [that is, the Lord shall from heaven avenge the blood of his people, which the enemies have shed] and the earth shall discover her blood, [See the Annotat. Genes.4.on vers.10. and Job 16.on vers.18.] and shall no longer keep her slain covered.