8 Also, `in' the path of Thy judgments, O Jehovah, we have waited `for' Thee, To Thy name and to Thy remembrance `Is' the desire of the soul.
And God saith again unto Moses, `Thus dost thou say unto the sons of Israel, Jehovah, God of your fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you; this `is' My name -- to the age, and this My memorial, to generation -- generation.
As a citron among trees of the forest, So `is' my beloved among the sons, In his shade I delighted, and sat down, And his fruit `is' sweet to my palate. He hath brought me in unto a house of wine, And his banner over me `is' love, Sustain me with grape-cakes, Support me with citrons, for I `am' sick with love.
Be patient, then, brethren, till the presence of the Lord; lo, the husbandman doth expect the precious fruit of the earth, being patient for it, till he may receive rain -- early and latter; be patient, ye also; establish your hearts, because the presence of the Lord hath drawn nigh; murmur not against one another, brethren, that ye may not be condemned; lo, the Judge before the door hath stood. An example take ye of the suffering of evil, my brethren, and of the patience, the prophets who did speak in the name of the Lord; lo, we call happy those who are enduring; the endurance of Job ye heard of, and the end of the Lord ye have seen, that very compassionate is the Lord, and pitying.
and the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God, and to the endurance of the Christ.
and if what we do not behold we hope for, through continuance we expect `it'.
and they were both righteous before God, going on in all the commands and righteousnesses of the Lord blameless,
Remember ye the law of Moses My servant, That I did command him in Horeb, For all Israel -- statutes and judgments.
Even from antiquity `men' have not heard, They have not given ear, Eye hath not seen a God save Thee, He doth work for those waiting for Him. Thou hast met with the rejoicer And the doer of righteousness, In Thy ways they remember Thee, Lo, Thou hast been wroth when we sin, By them `is' continuance, and we are saved.
Thus said Jehovah: `Keep ye judgment, and do righteousness, For near `is' My salvation to come, And My righteousness to be revealed.'
And therefore doth wait Jehovah to favour you, And therefore He is exalted to pity you, For a God of judgment `is' Jehovah, O the blessedness of all waiting for Him.
And `one' hath said in that day, `Lo, this `is' our God, We waited for Him, and He saveth us, This `is' Jehovah, we have waited for Him, We joy and rejoice in His salvation.'
I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, If ye find my beloved -- What do ye tell him? that I `am' sick with love!
These `are' the commands and the judgments which Jehovah hath commanded, by the hand of Moses, concerning the sons of Israel, in the plains of Moab, by Jordan, `near' Jericho.
Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth, For better `are' thy loves than wine. For fragrance `are' thy perfumes good. Perfume emptied out -- thy name, Therefore have virgins loved thee! Draw me: after thee we run, The king hath brought me into his inner chambers, We do joy and rejoice in thee, We mention thy loves more than wine, Uprightly they have loved thee!
I have remembered days of old, I have meditated on all Thine acts, On the work of Thy hand I muse. I have spread forth my hands unto Thee, My soul `is' as a weary land for Thee. Selah.
O the happiness of those keeping judgment, Doing righteousness at all times.
And I say: `My weakness is, The changes of the right hand of the Most High.' I mention the doings of Jah, For I remember of old Thy wonders, And I have meditated on all Thy working, And I talk concerning Thy doings.
Whom have I in the heavens? And with Thee none I have desired in earth.
A Psalm of David, in his being in the wilderness of Judah. O God, Thou `art' my God, earnestly do I seek Thee, Thirsted for Thee hath my soul, Longed for Thee hath my flesh, In a land dry and weary, without waters. So in the sanctuary I have seen Thee, To behold Thy strength and Thine honour. Because better `is' Thy kindness than life, My lips do praise Thee.
All this met us, and we did not forget Thee, Nor have we dealt falsely in Thy covenant. We turn not backward our heart, Nor turn aside doth our step from Thy path.
Trust in Jehovah, and do good, Dwell `in' the land, and enjoy faithfulness, And delight thyself on Jehovah, And He giveth to thee the petitions of thy heart. Roll on Jehovah thy way, And trust upon Him, and He worketh, And hath brought out as light thy righteousness, And thy judgment as noon-day. Be silent for Jehovah, and stay thyself for Him, Do not fret because of him Who is making prosperous his way, Because of a man doing wicked devices.
And I am perfect with him, And I keep myself from mine iniquity.
To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. Till when, O Jehovah, Dost Thou forget me? -- for ever? Till when dost Thou hide Thy face from me? Till when do I set counsels in my soul? Sorrow inn my heart daily? Till when is mine enemy exalted over me?
For He hath known the way with me, He hath tried me -- as gold I go forth. On His step hath my foot laid hold, His way I have kept, and turn not aside, The command of His lips, and I depart not. Above my allotted portion I have laid up The sayings of His mouth.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 26
Commentary on Isaiah 26 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 26
Isa 26:1-21. Connected with the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Chapters. Song of Praise of Israel after Being Restored to Their Own Land.
As the overthrow of the apostate faction is described in the twenty-fifth chapter, so the peace of the faithful is here described under the image of a well-fortified city.
1. strong city—Jerusalem, strong in Jehovah's protection: type of the new Jerusalem (Ps 48:1-3), contrasted with the overthrow of the ungodly foe (Isa 26:4-7, 12-14; Re 22:2, 10-12, &c.).
salvation … walls—(Isa 60:18; Jer 3:23; Zec 2:5). Maurer translates, "Jehovah makes His help serve as walls" (Isa 33:20, 21, &c.).
bulwarks—the trench with the antemural earthworks exterior to the wall.
2. Address of the returning people to the gates of Jerusalem (type of the heavenly city, Heb 12:22); (Ps 24:7, 9; 118:19). Antitypically (Re 22:14; 21:25, 27).
righteous nation—that had not apostatized during the captivity. Horsley translates, "The nation of the Just One," namely, the Jews.
3. mind … stayed—(Ps 112:7, 8). Jesus can create "perfect peace" within thy mind, though storms of trial rage without (Isa 57:19; Mr 4:39); as a city kept securely by a strong garrison within, though besieged without (so Php 4:7). "Keep," literally, "guard as with a garrison." Horsley translates, (God's) workmanship (the Hebrew does not probably mean "mind," but "a thing formed," Eph 2:10), so constantly "supported"; or else "formed and supported (by Thee) Thou shalt preserve (it, namely, the righteous nation) in perpetual peace."
4. Lord Jehovah—Hebrew, Jah, Jehovah. The union of the two names expresses in the highest degree God's unchanging love and power (compare Ps 68:4). This passage, and Isa 12:2; Ex 6:3; Ps 83:18, are the four in which the English Version retains the Jehovah of the original. Maurer translates, "For Jah (the eternal unchangeable One, Ex 3:14) is Jehovah, the rock of ages" (compare Isa 45:17; De 32:15; 1Sa 2:2).
5. lofty city—Babylon; representative of the stronghold of the foes of God's people in all ages (Isa 25:2, 12; 13:14).
6. poor—(Isa 25:4), the once afflicted Jewish captives. "Foot shall tread," is figurative for exulting in the fall of God's enemies (Re 18:20).
7. uprightness—rather, "is direct," that is, is directed by God to a prosperous issue, however many be their afflictions in the meantime (as in the case of the Jewish exiles); the context requires this sense (Ps 34:19; Pr 3:6; 11:5), [Maurer]: thus "way" means God's dealings with the righteous (Ps 37:23).
most upright—(De 32:4).
dost weigh—(1Sa 2:3; Pr 5:21). Rather, "thou dost make plain and level" [Maurer], removing all obstacles (Isa 40:3, 4).
8. way of thy judgments—We have waited for Thy proceeding to punish the enemy (Isa 26:9, 10) [Maurer]. Horsley translates Isa 26:7, 8, "The path of the Just One is perfectly even; an even road Thou wilt level for the Just One, even the path of Thy laws, O Jehovah. We have expected Thee."
name … remembrance—the manifested character of God by which He would be remembered (Isa 64:5; Ex 3:15).
9. With, … soul … I—literally, "I … my soul," in apposition; the faithful Jews here speak individually. The overthrow of the foe and the restoration of the Jews are to follow upon prayer on the part of the latter and of all God's people (Isa 62:1-4, 6, 7; Ps 102:13-17).
in the night—(Ps 63:6; So 3:1).
world … learn … righteousness—the remnant left after judgments (Ps 58:10, 11; Zec 14:16).
10. uprightness—rather, as in Isa 26:7, "prosperity," answering to "favor" in the parallelism, and in antithesis to "judgments in the earth" (Isa 26:9); where prosperity attends the wicked as well as the just, "he will not learn righteousness," therefore judgments must be sent that he may "learn" it [Maurer].
11. lifted up—to punish the foes of God's people. They who will not see shall be made to "see" to their cost (Isa 5:12).
their envy at the people—that is, "Thy people." Lowth translates, "They shall see with confusion Thy zeal for Thy people."
fire of … enemies—that is, the fire to which Thine enemies are doomed (Isa 9:18).
12. peace—God's favor, including all blessings, temporal and spiritual, opposed to their previous trials (Ps 138:8).
13. other lords—temporal; heathen kings (2Ch 12:8; 28:5, 6), Nebuchadnezzar, &c. Spiritual also, idols and lusts (Ro 6:16-18).
by thee only—It is due to Thee alone, that we again worship Thee as our Lord [Maurer]. "(We are) Thine only, we will celebrate Thy name" [Horsley]. The sanctifying effect of affliction (Ps 71:16; 119:67, 71).
14. They—The "other lords" or tyrants (Isa 26:13).
shall not live—namely, again.
deceased—Hebrew, "Rephaim"; powerless, in the land of shades (Isa 14:9, 10).
therefore—that is, inasmuch as. Compare "therefore" (Ge 18:5; 19:8).
15. hast—prophetical preterite (Isa 9:3).
hast removed … far … ends of … earth—rather, "Thou hast extended far all the borders of the land" [Vitringa].
16. visited—sought.
poured out—(Ps 62:8), as a vessel emptying out all its contents.
prayer—literally, "a whispered prayer," Margin, "a secret sighing" to God for help (compare Jer 13:17; De 8:16).
17. An image of anguish accompanied with expectation, to be followed by joy that will cause the anguish utterly to be forgotten. Zion, looking for deliverance, seemingly in vain, but really about to be gloriously saved (Mic 4:9, 10-13; 5:1-3; Joh 16:21, 22).
18. brought forth wind—Michaelis explains this of the disease empneumatosis. Rather, "wind" is a figure for that which proves an abortive effort. The "we" is in antithesis to "Thy," "my" (Isa 26:19), what we vainly attempt, God will accomplish.
not wrought … deliverance in … earth—literally, "the land (Judea) is not made security," that is, is not become a place of security from our enemies.
neither … world fallen—The "world" at large, is in antithesis to "the earth," that is, Judea. The world at enmity with the city of God has not been subdued. But Maurer explains "fallen," according to Arabic idiom, of the birth of a child, which is said to fall when being born; "inhabitants of the world (Israel, Isa 24:4; not the world in general) are not yet born"; that is, the country as yet lies desolate, and is not yet populated.
19. In antithesis to Isa 26:14, "They (Israel's foes) shall not live"; "Thy (Jehovah's) dead men (the Jews) shall live," that is, primarily, be restored, spiritually (Isa 54:1-3), civilly and nationally (Isa 26:15); whereas Thy foes shall not; ultimately, and in the fullest scope of the prophecy, restored to life literally (Eze 37:1-14; Da 12:2).
together with my dead body—rather, "my dead body," or "bodies" (the Jewish nation personified, which had been spiritually and civilly dead; or the nation, as a parent, speaking of the bodies of her children individually, see on Isa 26:9, "I," "My"): Jehovah's "dead" and "my dead" are one and the same [Horsley]. However, as Jesus is the antitype to Israel (Mt 2:15), English Version gives a true sense, and one ultimately contemplated in the prophecy: Christ's dead body being raised again is the source of Jehovah's people (all, and especially believers, the spiritual Israelites) also being raised (1Co 15:20-22).
Awake—(Eph 5:14), spiritually.
in dust—prostate and dead, spiritually and nationally; also literally (Isa 25:12; 47:1).
dew—which falls copiously in the East and supplies somewhat the lack of rain (Ho 14:5).
cast out … dead—that is, shall bring them forth to life again.
20. enter … chambers—When God is about to take vengeance on the ungodly, the saints shall be shut in by Him in a place of safety, as Noah and his family were in the days of the flood (Ge 7:16), and as Israel was commanded not to go out of doors on the night of the slaying of the Egyptian first-born (Ex 12:22, 23; Ps 31:20; 83:3). The saints are calmly and confidently to await the issue (Ex 14:13, 14).
21. (Mic 1:3; Jude 14).
disclose … blood—(Ge 4:10, 11; Job 16:18; Eze 24:7, 8). All the innocent blood shed, and all other wrongs done, so long seemingly with impunity, shall then be avenged (Re 16:6).