EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)
XII.
(1) Inthat day thou shalt say . . .—The prophet becomes the psalmist of that new Exodus, and the hymn that follows is based upon the type of that in Exodus 15, though with less of local and historical colouring. He has been taught that confession must be blended with thanksgiving—that those only can rightly estimate the comfort which God gives who have first felt His wrath. The fact that the prophet appears as a psalmist was a natural result of the training of the schools of the prophets, as described in1Samuel 19:20, possibly also of his familiarity with the Temple service as a priest or Levite. The group of psalms ascribed to the sons of Korah presents so many parallelisms to the writings of Isaiah, and so obviously belongs to the same period, that we may reasonably think of him as having been associated with that goodly company. (SeeIntroduction.)
Isaiah 12:1-2.
And,&c. — “Isaiah concludes this most noble prophecy with a doxology from the mouth of those who should share in the blessings of the great redemption before specified. This doxology is two-fold: in the first part, the redeemed, in their own names and persons, praise God for the benefits of salvation and consolation through Christ, conferred upon them. In the second part they mutually exhort and encourage themselves and others, to praise and celebrate their God and Redeemer.” Dodd.
In that day— When this great work of the reduction of Israel, and the conversion of the Gentiles, promised in the foregoing chapter, is fulfilled: when the kingdom of the Messiah is set up in the world, in despite of all opposition from earth and hell;
thou shalt say— Thou church of God, composed of Jews and Gentiles, united in one body, shalt say, as one man, with one mind and one mouth; and every particular member of the community shall say; that is, shall have cause to say, and a heart to say,
O Lord, I will praise thee— “I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah;” so Bishop Lowth. For
though thouhast been
angry with me— Namely, while I was in my unenlightened and unconverted state of heathenish ignorance, or of Jewish unbelief; my state of sin and guilt, of depravity and alienation from thee;
thine anger is turned away— In consequence of my conversion to thee by true repentance, unfeigned faith, and new obedience;
and thou comfortedst me— By evident tokens of thy presence, communications of thy grace, and prospects of thy glory.
Behold, God is my salvation— The author, giver, and source of my salvation; which, in all its branches and degrees, hath been effected, not by the power of man, but by the mercy and grace of God. He, therefore, shall have the glory of the salvation that has already been wrought for me, and from him only will I expect the salvation which I further need. And for this,
I will trust— In his power, love, and faithfulness;
and not be afraid— Lest he should deceive my confidence or disappoint my expectations; lest he should be either unable or unwilling to save me in time to come, as he has saved me in time past. For, not a dead idol, or a mere creature, whether made by man or God. but
the Lord Jehovah— Hebrew,
Jah Jehovah,(the former word being a contraction of the latter, and both signifying his self-existence, his eternity, and unchangeableness,)
is my strength and my song— He, who is the living and true God, and who has all possible perfections in and of himself; he, who is both infinite and everlasting, hath undertaken my cause, and gives me both support in weakness and comfort in trouble; he enables me both to withstand my enemies and to rejoice and glory in him, being, as I know by experience, already
become my salvation.12:10-16 When the gospel should be publicly preached, the Gentiles would seek Christ Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and find rest of soul. When God's time is come for the deliverance of his people, mountains of opposition shall become plains before him. God can soon turn gloomy days into glorious ones. And while we expect the Lord to gather his ancient people, and bring them home to his church, also to bring in the fulness of the Gentiles, when all will be united in holy love, let us tread the highway of holiness he has made for his redeemed. Let us wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life, looking to him to prepare our way through death, that river which separates this world from the eternal world.
And in that day - The day referred to in the previous chapter, the time of the Messiah, when the effects of his reign shall be seen everywhere. The duty of praise, however, is couched in such language as to make it applicable to the event predicted in the former part of the prophecy
Isaiah 10 - the delivering of the nation from the invasion of Sennacherib, as well as the more glorious event on which the prophet fixed his eye
Isaiah 11 - the coming and reign of the Messiah. The language of this song of praise would be appropriate to both these events.
Thou shalt say - The address to an individual here, in the term 'thou,' is equivalent to "everyone," meaning that "all" who were thus interested in the divine interposition should say it.
O Lord - O Yahweh - the great author of this interposition.
I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me - If this language is applied to the Jews, and supposed to be used by them in regard to the invasion of Sennacherib, it means, that God suffered their land to be invaded, and to be subjected to calamities, in consequence of their sins (Isaiah 10:6 ff.) If it is supposed to be applied to the time of the Messiah, then it is language which every redeemed sinner may use, that God was angry with him, but that his anger is turned away. As applicable to the redeemed, it is an acknowledgement which they all feel, that they have no claim to his mercy, and that it lays the foundation for unceasing praise that his anger is turned away by the plan of salvation.
CHAPTER 12
Isa 12:1-6. Thanksgiving Hymn of the Restored and Converted Jews.
Just as Miriam, after the deliverance of the Red Sea (Isa 11:16), celebrated it with an ode of praise (Ex 15:1-19).A thanksgiving of the faithful for their redemption.
In that day; when this great work of the reduction of God’s Israel, and of the conversion of the Gentiles, promised in the foregoing chapter, shall be fulfilled.
And in that day thou shalt say,.... The following song of praise; just as Israel did, when they were brought through the Red sea, and saved out of the hands of their enemies; to which there are several allusions and references in it; that deliverance being typical of salvation by Christ; the Gospel day, or the times of the Gospel, are here meant:
O Lord, I will praise thee; or "confess thee"; to be my Lord, Redeemer, and Saviour, my Husband, Head, and King; or "confess to thee" (q), my sins and transgressions, and unworthiness to receive any favour from thee, and gratefully acknowledge all the favours bestowed upon me:
though thou wast angry with me; as it appeared to the church, and according to her apprehensions of things, though not in reality, or strictly or properly speaking; for anger is not to be ascribed to God; but it is a speaking after the manner of men; and the Lord seems to be angry when he hides his face from his people, when he refuses to hear their cries, when he afflicts them, and continues his hand upon them, and when he lets in a sense of wrath into their consciences:
thine anger is turned away; he granting his gracious presence; taking off his afflicting hand; manifesting his love, particularly his pardoning grace and mercy; peace and reconciliation being made by the blood of Christ, and justice satisfied, the effects of resentment and displeasure cease:
and thou comfortedst me; by shedding abroad his love in her heart; by discovering the free and full forgiveness of sin; by lifting up the light of his countenance; by an application of precious promises; and by means of the word and ordinances, through the influence of the blessed Spirit as a comforter; who leads in this way for comfort to the person, blood, righteousness, sacrifice, and fulness of Christ, and comforts with these, by applying them, and showing interest in them. The Targum is,
"and thou shalt say at that time, I will confess before the Lord; for that I have sinned before thee, thine anger is upon me; but when I am turned to the law, thine anger will turn from me, and thou wilt have mercy on me;''
or rather turned to Christ, and embrace his Gospel, which is the only way to have comfort.
(q) "confitebor tibi", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus.
And in that day thou{a} shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thy anger is turned away, and thou didst comfort me.(a) He shows how the Church will praise God, when they are delivered from their captivity.
