1 Because of Zion I will not keep quiet, and because of Jerusalem I will take no rest, till her righteousness goes out like the shining of the sun, and her salvation like a burning light.
I have put watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will not keep quiet day or night: you who are the Lord's recorders, take no rest, And give him no rest, till he puts Jerusalem in her place to be praised in the earth.
But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.
Do good to Zion in your good pleasure, building up the walls of Jerusalem.
So that he is fully able to be the saviour of all who come to God through him, because he is ever living to make prayer to God for them.
So that you may be holy and gentle, children of God without sin in a twisted and foolish generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world, Offering the word of life; so that I may have glory in you in the day of Christ, because my running was not for nothing and my work was not without effect.
For my eyes have seen your salvation, Which you have made ready before the face of all nations; A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.
Even so let your light be shining before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Till the spirit comes on us from on high, and the waste land becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field is changed into a wood. Then in the waste land there will be an upright rule, and righteousness will have its place in the fertile field. And the work of righteousness will be peace; and the effect of an upright rule will be to take away fear for ever.
You will again get up and have mercy on Zion: for the time has come for her to be comforted. For your servants take pleasure in her stones, looking with love on her dust. So the nations will give honour to the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will be in fear of his glory: When the Lord has put up the walls of Zion, and has been been in his glory;
<A Psalm.> O make a new song to the Lord, because he has done works of wonder; with his right hand, and with his holy arm, he has overcome. The Lord has given to all the knowledge of his salvation; he has made clear his righteousness in the eyes of the nations. He has kept in mind his mercy and his unchanging faith to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
For this is what the Lord of armies has said: In the way of glory he has sent me to the nations which have taken your goods: for anyone touching you is touching what is most dear to him.
And a number of nations will go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will give us knowledge of his ways and we will be guided by his word: for from Zion the law will go out, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
I will be full of joy in the Lord, my soul will be glad in my God; for he has put on me the clothing of salvation, covering me with the robe of righteousness, as the husband puts on a fair head-dress, and the bride makes herself beautiful with jewels. For as the earth puts out buds, and as the garden gives growth to the seeds which are planted in it, so the Lord will make righteousness and praise to be flowering before all the nations.
Suddenly will my righteousness come near, and my salvation will be shining out like the light; the sea-lands will be waiting for me, and they will put their hope in my strong arm. Let your eyes be lifted up to the heavens, and turned to the earth which is under them: for the heavens will go in flight like smoke, and the earth will become old like a coat, and its people will come to destruction like insects: but my salvation will be for ever, and my righteousness will not come to an end.
And I will give you judges again as at the first, and wise guides as in the past; then you will be named, The Town of Righteousness, the true town. Upright acts will be the price of Zion's forgiveness, and by righteousness will men be living there.
O make prayers for the peace of Jerusalem; may they whose love is given to you do well. May peace be inside your walls, and wealth in your noble houses. Because of my brothers and friends, I will now say, Let peace be with you. Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will be working for your good.
Awake! awake! put on strength, O arm of the Lord, awake! as in the old days, in the generations long past. Was it not by you that Rahab was cut in two, and the dragon Wounded?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 62
Commentary on Isaiah 62 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 62
Isa 62:1-12. Intercessory Prayers for Zion's Restoration, Accompanying God's Promises of It, as the Appointed Means of Accomplishing It.
1. I—the prophet, as representative of all the praying people of God who love and intercede for Zion (compare Isa 62:6, 7; Ps 102:13-17), or else Messiah (compare Isa 62:6). So Messiah is represented as unfainting in His efforts for His people (Isa 42:4; 50:7).
righteousness thereof—not its own inherently, but imputed to it, for its restoration to God's favor: hence "salvation" answers to it in the parallelism. "Judah" is to be "saved" through "the Lord our (Judah's and the Church's) righteousness" (Jer 23:6).
as brightness—properly the bright shining of the rising sun (Isa 60:19; 4:5; 2Sa 23:4; Pr 4:18).
lamp—blazing torch.
2. (Isa 11:10; 42:1-6; 49:7, 22, 23; 60:3, 5, 16).
new name—expression of thy new and improved condition (Isa 62:4), the more valuable and lasting as being conferred by Jehovah Himself (Isa 62:12; Isa 65:15; Re 2:17; 3:12).
3. (Zec 9:16)
in … hand of … Lord—As a crown is worn on the head, not "in the hand," hand must here be figurative for "under the Lord's protection" (compare De 33:3). "All His saints are in thy hand." His people are in His hand at the same time that they are "a crown of glory" to Him (Re 6:2; 19:12); reciprocally, He is "a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty" to them (Isa 28:5; compare Mal 3:17).
4. be termed—be "forsaken," so as that that term could be applicable to thee.
Hephzi-bah—(2Ki 21:1), the name of Hezekiah's wife, a type of Jerusalem, as Hezekiah was of Messiah (Isa 32:1): "my delight is in her."
Beulah—"Thou art married." See the same contrast of Zion's past and future state under the same figure (Isa 54:4-6; Re 21:2, 4).
land … married—to Jehovah as its Lord and Husband: implying not only ownership, but protection on the part of the Owner [Horsley].
5. thy sons—rather, changing the points, which are of no authority in Hebrew, "thy builder" or "restorer," that is, God; for in the parallel clause, and in Isa 62:4, God is implied as being "married" to her; whereas her "sons" could hardly be said to marry their mother; and in Isa 49:18, they are said to be her bridal ornaments, not her husband. The plural form, builders, is used of God in reverence as "husbands" (see on Isa 54:5).
over the bride—in the possession of the bride (Isa 65:19; Jer 32:41; Zep 3:17).
6. I—Isaiah speaking in the person of the Messiah.
watchmen upon … walls—image from the watches set upon a city's wall to look out for the approach of a messenger with good tidings (Isa 52:7, 8); the good tidings of the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon, prefiguring the return from the present dispersion (compare Isa 21:6-11; 56:10; Eze 3:17; 33:7). The watches in the East are announced by a loud cry to mark the vigilance of the watchmen.
ye that … mention … Lord—Hebrew, "ye that are the Lord's remembrancers"; God's servants who by their prayers "put God in remembrance" of His promises (Isa 43:26); we are required to remind God, as if God could, which He cannot, forget His promises (Ps 119:49; Jer 14:21).
7. no rest—Hebrew, "silence"; keep not silence yourselves, nor let Him rest in silence. Compare as to Messiah Himself, "I will not hold … peace … not rest" (Isa 62:1); Messiah's watchmen (Isa 62:6, 7) imitate Him (Isa 62:1) in intercessory "prayer without ceasing" for Jerusalem (Ps 122:6; 51:18); also for the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church (Lu 18:1, 7; Ro 1:9).
a praise—(See on Isa 61:11; Zep 3:20).
8. sworn by … right hand—His mighty instrument of accomplishing His will (compare Isa 45:23; Heb 6:13).
sons of … stranger—Foreigners shall no more rob thee of the fruit of thy labors (compare Isa 65:21, 22).
9. eat … and praise—not consume it on their own lusts, and without thanksgiving.
drink it in … courts—They who have gathered the vintage shall drink it at the feasts held in the courts surrounding the temple (De 12:17, 18; 14:23, &c.).
10. What Isaiah in the person of Messiah had engaged in (Isa 62:1) unrestingly to seek, and what the watchmen were unrestingly to pray for (Isa 62:7), and what Jehovah solemnly promised (Isa 62:8, 9), is now to be fulfilled; the Gentile nations are commanded to "go through the gates" (either of their own cities [Rosenmuller] or of Jerusalem [Maurer]), in order to remove all obstacles out of "the way of the people (Israel)" (see on Isa 7:14; Isa 40:3; 52:10-12).
standard—for the dispersed Jews to rally round, with a view to their return (Isa 49:22; 11:12).
11. salvation—embodied in the Saviour (see Zec 9:9).
his work—rather, recompense (Isa 40:10).
12. Sought out—Sought after and highly prized by Jehovah; answering to "not forsaken" in the parallel clause; no longer abandoned, but loved; image from a wife (Isa 62:4; Jer 30:14).