8 For the moth H6211 shall eat them up H398 like a garment, H899 and the worm H5580 shall eat H398 them like wool: H6785 but my righteousness H6666 shall be for ever, H5769 and my salvation H3444 from generation H1755 to generation. H1755
Behold, the Lord H136 GOD H3069 will help H5826 me; who is he that shall condemn H7561 me? lo, they all shall wax old H1086 as a garment; H899 the moth H6211 shall eat them up. H398
Lift up H5375 your eyes H5869 to the heavens, H8064 and look H5027 upon the earth H776 beneath: for the heavens H8064 shall vanish away H4414 like smoke, H6227 and the earth H776 shall wax old H1086 like a garment, H899 and they that dwell H3427 therein shall die H4191 in like H3644 manner: H3654 but my salvation H3444 shall be for ever, H5769 and my righteousness H6666 shall not be abolished. H2865
How much less H637 in them that dwell H7931 in houses H1004 of clay, H2563 whose foundation H3247 is in the dust, H6083 which are crushed H1792 before H6440 the moth? H6211
I bring near H7126 my righteousness; H6666 it shall not be far off, H7368 and my salvation H8668 shall not tarry: H309 and I will place H5414 salvation H8668 in Zion H6726 for Israel H3478 my glory. H8597
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Isaiah 51
Commentary on Isaiah 51 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 51
This chapter is designed for the comfort and encouragement of those that fear God and keep his commandments, even when they walk in darkness and have no light. Whether it was intended primarily for the support of the captives in Babylon is not certain, probably it was; but comforts thus generally expressed ought not to be so confined. Whenever the church of God is in distress her friends and well-wishers may comfort themselves and one another with these words,
The first three paragraphs of this chapter begin with, "Hearken unto me,' and they are God's people that are all along called to hearken; for even when comforts are spoken to them sometimes they "hearken not, through anguish of spirit' (Ex. 6:9); therefore they are again and again called to hearken (v. 1, 4, 7). The two other paragraphs of this chapter begin with "Awake, awake;' in the former (v. 9) God's people call upon him to awake and help them; in the latter (v. 17) God calls upon them to awake and help themselves.
Isa 51:1-3
Observe,
Isa 51:4-8
Both these proclamations, as I may call them, end alike with an assurance of the perpetuity of God's righteousness and his salvation; and therefore we put them together, both being designed for the comfort of God's people. Observe,
Isa 51:9-16
In these verses we have,
Isa 51:17-23
God, having awoke for the comfort of his people, here calls upon them to awake, as afterwards, ch. 52:1. It is a call to awake not so much out of the sleep of sin (though that also is necessary in order to their being ready for deliverance) as out of the stupor of despair. When the inhabitants of Jerusalem were in captivity they, as well as those who remained upon the spot, were so overwhelmed with the sense of their troubles that they had no heart or spirit to mind any thing that tended to their comfort or relief; they were as the disciples in the garden, sleeping for sorrow (Lu. 22:45), and therefore, when the deliverance came, they are said to have been like those that dream, Ps. 136:1. Nay, it is a call to awake, not only from sleep, but from death, like that to the dry bones to live, Eze. 37:9. "Awake, and look about thee, that thou mayest see the day of thy deliverance dawn, and mayest be ready to bid it welcome. Recover thy senses; sink not under thy load, but stand up, and bestir thyself for thy own help.' This may be applied to the Jerusalem that was in the apostle's time, which is said to have been in bondage with her children (Gal. 4:25), and to have been under the power of a spirit of slumber (Rom. 11:8); they are called to awake, and mind the things that belonged to their everlasting peace, and then the cup of trembling should be taken out of their hands, peace should be spoken to them, and they should triumph over Satan, who had blinded their eyes and lulled them asleep. Now,