Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 62:1 For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp [that] burneth.

Ver. 1. For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace.] Habes hic orationem prophetae sanctissimam, saith Oecolampadius. Here we have the prophet’s oration, yea, here we have the prophet’s panegyric, to the Church, saith Hyperius, ^(a) by way of congratulation for her felicity and dignity in Christ, her head and husband; as also his resolution to be earnest and importunate with God and men for her deliverance and restitution. Terentius, that noble general under Valens the emperor, asked nothing but that the Church might be freed from Arians; and when the emperor tore his petition, he said that he would never ask anything for himself if he might not prevail for the Church.

Until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness.] Till Christ come in the flesh, if I should live so long; as long as I have any being howsoever, [1 Timothy 6:14] and after that by my writings, which shall continue to the world’s end.

Isaiah 62:2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.

Ver. 2. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness.] The prophet here very artificially turneth his speech to the Church herself, as if he would pronounce his panegyric in her presence; and presently celebrateth her dignity and happiness herein, that the Gentiles should worship her, and be joined unto her. Some read it, "And the Gentiles shall see thy righteous One," - i.e., Christ, who came from the Jews, was preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up to glory. [1 Timothy 3:16]

And thou shalt be called by a new name,] viz., Hephzibah, i.e., My darling; and Beulah, i.e., A married woman. [Isaiah 62:4] There are that by this new name will have to be understood the name of sons and daughters of the Almighty. [Revelation 2:17 2 Corinthians 6:18] Others the name of the Church Catholic. And others, again, the honourable name of Christians, which yet is at this day in Italy and at Rome a name of reproach, and usually abused to signify a fool or a dolt, as Dr Fulk proveth out of their own authors. ^(a)

Isaiah 62:3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

Ver. 3. And thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord.] Or, A glorious crown by the hand, the good hand, of the Lord upon thee. The saints are God’s glory.; [Isaiah 46:13] the house of his glory; [Isaiah 60:7] a crown of glory and a royal diadem here: the throne of glory; [Jeremiah 14:21] the ornament of God; [Ezekiel 7:20] the beauty of his ornament, and that also set in majesty (ib.) Oh learn and labour to live up to such high preferment.

Isaiah 62:4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.

Ver. 4. But thou shalt be called Hephzibah,] i.e., My delight is in her; as if Christ should say to his Church, {as 14:3} Tu mihi sola places, ^(a) Thou art mine only joy. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him. [Psalms 147:11] Let us reciprocate, ^(b) love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity; not only with a love of desire, {as Psalms 42:1; Psalms 42:3} but also of delight and complacency, solacing ourselves in the fruition of him, {as Psalms 16:5-6} and of his people, these "excellent ones of the earth" who were David’s Hephzibam, [Isaiah 62:3] in whom was "all his delight."

Isaiah 62:5 For [as] a young man marrieth a virgin, [so] shall thy sons marry thee: and [as] the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, [so] shall thy God rejoice over thee.

Ver. 5. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shalt thy sons marry thee.] This translation (saith one who preferreth the Vulgate, ‘The young man shall dwell with the virgin’), marreth the sense, since it is improper to say of sons that they shall marry their mother. But I say, that the Church never flourisheth more, than when the son marrieth the mother, and doth his utmost to beautify and amplify her. See 2 Corinthians 11:2.

And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.] Communicating with our souls his sweetest favours in his ordinances, as in the bridal bed, and making us to be conceived with the fruits of righteousness to everlasting life. It is, therefore, a most unworthy thing, that men should go a whoring from under him, [Hosea 4:12] and seek to themselves among the creatures alias delicias et amasias, other sweethearts.

Isaiah 62:6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, [which] shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,

Ver. 6. I have set watchmen upon thy walls,] i.e., Angels, say some, who are called "watchers,"; [Daniel 4:13; Daniel 4:33] {See Trapp on "Daniel 4:13"} {See Trapp on "Daniel 4:33"} prophets and pastors, say others, who are as "watchmen upon the walls," to admonish thee by their preaching, and to preserve thee by their prayers to God. [Isaiah 21:11 Ezekiel 13:17; Ezekiel 31:7]

Which shall never hold their peace.] Never but be either praying or preaching. {as Acts 6:4 Deuteronomy 33:10} Augustine desired that death might find him aut precantem nut proedicantem. Of Paul’s incessance, see Acts 20:31, 1 Thessalonians 3:10.

Ye that make mention of the Lord.] Or, Ye that are the Lord’s remembrancers, that jogged him as it were, and remind him of his people’s necessities and miseries. The kings of Israel, Persia, and of other nations, had their Mazkirim, or remembrancers, to mind them of those matters that concerned the weal public, and to these he here alludeth. All the saints are such like officers, and must be active.

Keep not silence.] Be still sueing and soliciting.

Isaiah 62:7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Ver. 7. And give him no rest.] Heb., No silence; the same word as before, to quicken their diligence, and to set forth the necessity of the work. "Continue instant in prayer"; [Romans 12:12] give not in, but persevere, without remission or intermission.

Till he establish, till he make Jerusalem a praise.] Till he send the Messiah, who may restore Zion, set up and illustrate his Church, &c. Such lawful petitions from honest hearts have unmiscarrying returns.

Isaiah 62:8 The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn [to be] meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:

Ver. 8. The Lord hath sworn by his right hand,] i.e., By his almighty power, or, as Oecolampadius holdeth, by his Son, "by whom he made the world," and "upholdeth all things." [Hebrews 1:2-3]

Surely, I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies.] Or, If I do, yet I will give you to "suffer with joy the spoiling of your goods, as knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." [Hebrews 10:34] Spiritual security and safety, from the devil and all the enemies of our souls, is also signified by this similitude of protection against corporal enemies and plunderers, saith Piscator.

Isaiah 62:9 But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.

Ver. 9. But they that have gathered it shall eat it.] A sufficiency of outward comforts they shall be sure of, together with righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; so much, at least, as shall support their spirits. Mr Paul Bain ^(a) saith thus of himself, I thank God in Christ, sustentation I have, but suavities spiritual, I taste not any.

Shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.] He alludeth to their manner of feasting before the Lord, when they brought thank offerings; and the like is still done by us at the Eucharist, or Lord’s Supper especially.

Isaiah 62:10 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.

Ver. 10. Go through, go through the gates.] Thus the prophet bespeaketh the teachers and keepers of the Church, with great alacrity of spirit, and most ardent affection; being, as it were, in a spiritual rapture. That which he exhorteth them to do, is rightly and faithfully to teach the people; and next, to take out of the way stumblingblocks, {as Isaiah 57:14} such as are heresies, soul offences, &c., to the scandal of the weak, and scorn of the wicked.

Lift up a standard for the people,] q.d., Certa et solida urania constituite; settle all things fast and firm, that all men may be sure of their way, and what they ought to follow. It was a sad complaint of holy Melanchthon, Quos fugiamus habemus: quos sequamur, non intelligimus; but this lasted not long with those first famous reformers, whom the Lord soon set in a course.

Isaiah 62:11 Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward [is] with him, and his work before him.

Ver. 11. Behold, thy salvation cometh,] i.e., Christ thy Saviour. {as Luke 2:30}

Behold, his reward is with him.] See on Isaiah 40:10. The three "beholds" in this verse should he well weighed.

And his work before him,] i.e., That which he worketh for us and in us, rewarding the work of his own free grace.

Isaiah 62:12 And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.

Ver. 12. And they shall call them the holy people.] Profane persons, therefore, and persecutors of holiness, are not to be reckoned among the people of the Lord. Are not all the Lord’s people holy? said those rebels; but that helped them not.

And thou shalt be called, Sought out.] Or, Much set by, contrary to that of Jeremiah 30:17; "This is Zion that none seeketh after."