4
ISA 49:4
7
ISA 49:7
Isaiah 49:7. Thus saith the Lord— We have here a new preface, containing a consolatory address of God the Father, directed to the Messiah, and his mystical body, the church of the first believers; which, persecuted, despised, and exposed to the public hatred and envy, is supported with the strong consolation to be drawn from the exceeding honour which in due time it should obtain in the world, proposed in this verse, and declared at large in the subsequent ones. The titles of Redeemer and Holy One of Israel are frequently applied to the Father, as well as to the Son, by the prophets. It is the office of the Father to fulfil the promises given to the Son and his mystical body, which are here addressed by three epithets; Him who is despised of men;—him who is abhorred by the nation [of the Jews];—a servant of rulers; whereby is to be understood Christ, in his first and persecuted church; for "it is very frequent in Scripture to mention Christ and his church as one person, to whom some things are attributed which pertain only to the head, some which pertain only to the body, and some which pertain to both:" a rule which is of great use in interpreting the Scriptures. We may render the latter part of the verse, Kings shall see, and shall rise up; princes, and they shall worship; because of the Lord, who is faithful; the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee. Kings shall see, and arise, refers to Isa 49:6 namely, at the light and salvation discovered by the Messiah. See chap. Isa 60:3 and the 23rd verse of this chapter.
return to '
13
ISA 49:13
Isaiah 49:13. And will have mercy— And hath had mercy.
return to '
Isaiah 49:4. Then I said, &c.— These words contain the complaint of the Son of God, concerning the small fruit of his mission to the Jews, and the small hope of establishing and successfully propagating his kingdom among them; similar to that which is attributed to the same great teacher and his apostles, ch. Isaiah 53:1. But at the same time he supports himself with the hope, that he should obtain a glorious and abundant fruit of his divine mission in the world; for that his judgment or right was with God, and the reward of his work laid up with him. Bishop Lowth reads the verse, And I said, I have laboured in vain; for nought, and for vanity, I have spent my strength: nevertheless my cause is with JEHOVAH; and the reward of my work with my God.
return to '