Bible Commentaries

The city - In Jerusalem. Mountain - In his holy mountain.

The joy - This is spoken prophetically, because the joyful doctrine of the gospel was to go from thence to all nations. The city - Of God, who justly calls himself a great king.

Known - By long experience. Palaces - Possibly he may point at the king's palace and the temple, which was the palace of the king of heaven; which two palaces God did in a singular manner protect, and by protecting them, protected the whole city and people.

The kings - Either those kings confederate against Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 20:1 , or the Assyrian princes; whom they vain - gloriously called kings, Isaiah 10:8 . Passed - In their march towards Jerusalem.

Saw it - They did only look upon it, but not come into it, nor shoot an arrow there - nor cast a bank against it, 2 Kings 19:32 . Marvelled - At the wonderful works wrought by God.

Fear - At the tidings of Tirhakah's coming against them, 2 Kings 19:9 , and at that terrible slaughter of their army, 2 Kings 19:35 .

Breakest - Thou didst no less violently and suddenly destroy these raging enemies of Jerusalem, than sometimes thou destroyest the ships at sea with a fierce and vehement wind, such as the eastern winds were in those parts.

Heard - The predictions of the prophets have been verified by the events. Establish - God will defend her in all succeeding ages. And so God would have done, if Jerusalem had not forsaken him, and forfeited his protection.

Thought - It hath been the matter of our serious and deep meditation, when we have been worshipping in thy temple.

So - Thou art acknowledged to be such an one as thou hast affirmed thyself to be in thy Word, God Almighty, or All - sufficient, the Lord of hosts, and a strong tower to all that trust in thee. Righteousness - Of righteous actions; by which thou discoverest thy holiness.

Judgments - Upon thine and their enemies.

Tell - He bids them mark well her towers, bulwarks, and palaces, with thankfulness to God, when they should find upon enquiry, that not one of them were demolished.

Tell it - That they may continue their praises to God for this mercy, by which they hold and enjoy all their blessings.