undertook the safeguarding and preservation of them And all this sets forth the great goodness of God to his Israel Ver. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them c. Some understand this of some created Angel imployed by God to save and deliver his People Israel when they were in any danger and that he is called the Angel of his presence because the Angels do indeed stand continually in Gods presence and behold his Face as Christ said Mat. 18.10 and being sent from God he was in Gods stead amongst them But I rather think it is meant of Christ the Angel of whom God spake to Moses Exod. 23.20 21. for which see the Notes there who was always in the bosom of his Father Joh. 11.18 and is now always before God interceding for us in his love and in his pity he redeemed them to wit out of their bondage in Egypt and he bare them and carried them all the days of old see the Notes Chap. 40.11 and 46.3 4. and Deut. 32.11 Ver. 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit c. See Eph. 4.30 therefore he was turned to be their enemy see the Notes Job 13.24.19.11 and he fought against them to wit by many adversaries which he had stirred against them in the days of their Judges and Kings But this is alledged still to make way for the farther setting forth of Gods goodness to his People notwithstanding these provocations and thereby to encourage them still to hope in so gracious a God Ver. 11. Then he remembred the days of old Moses and his People c. Some of our best Expositors understand this as spoken of the People of God collectively taken and therefore they say it is expressed in the singular number Then he remembred c. And then again of these some understand it of the Israelites in former times that when God fought against them as it is said in the foregoing Verse then Israel called to mind what God had done for their Fathers Moses and the People in his days which is much the same with that which is said of them Psal 78.34 35. But then others understand it of the Church of the Jews in Babylon to wit that they remembred the great things that God had done for their Ancestors when Moses carried them out of Egypt to Canaan And accordingly both the one and the other do understand the following Words where is he that brought them up out of the Sea c As the Words of the People uttered by way of complaining and bemoaning themselves that God did not at present do for them as he had done for their Fathers and as it were sighing after the like deliverance But methinks it sounds very harsh to say that having spoken in the foregoing Verse of the People in the Plural Number But they Rebelled therefore he was turned to be their Enemie and he fought against them immediately in the next Words the Prophet should go on and speak of them in the Singular Number Then he remembred the days of old c. And therefore I rather judge with others that this is spoken of God himself and so indeed it hath a clear connexion with the last Words of the foregoing Verse therefore he was turned to be their Enemy and he fought against them Then he remembred the days of old to wit that when God smote the Israelites in former times yet calling to mind what he had formerly done for his People notwithstanding the frequent and great provocations wherewith they had provoked him he thereby induced himself to work new deliverances for them Then he remembred the days of old Moses and his People where Moses is mentioned either as some to imply Gods remembring the Covenant he had made with the Israelites by the Mediation of Moses or as others the frequent and vehement Intercession of Moses on their behalf or else rather only to imply his remembring of his People in the days of Moses and what he did for them then by Moses his Minstry And accordingly I conceive the following Words are also to be taken as the Words of God speaking of himseif in the third person and that as by way of arguing with himself that seeing he had in the days of Moses done so much for his People whom he then took to be his peculiar People why he should then be found wanting to them and not afford them the like deliverance again And indeed by our Translators inserting the word saying it is evident that they understood it thus Then he remembred the days of old Moses and his People saying where is he that brought them up out of the Sea with the Shepherd of his Flock to wit Moses the Shepherd of Gods Flock or Moses and Aaron if you read it as it is in the Margin with the Shepherds of his Flock see the Note Psal 77.20 where is he that put his holy Spirit within him that is say some the Spirit of Prophecy or rather those manifest gifts of Gods Spirit whereby Moses was enabled to teach and govern the People Ver. 12. That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm c. That is Gods Almighty power enabling Moses to do what he did It was not Moses nor the rod of Moses which some think is implyed by naming his right hand but God that did it dividing the Water before them to wit the Waters both of the Red Sea and Jordan to make himself an everlasting name to wit by the discovery both of his Almighty Power in a work of such wonder and of his tender care over his People Some think the Prophet adds this by way of farther enlarging that which God had said in the foregoing Verse where is he that brought them up out of the Sea c. But I see not why they may not be a continuance of Gods words Ver. 13. That led them through the deep as an Horse in the Wilderness that they should not stumble That is softly and gently as when a Horse is led with a Bridle they did not flee through as men frighted with fear but marched over soberly and leasurely or easily and safely without any danger or trouble as a Horse may be led in a Wilderness where the ground is dry and there is nothing to hinder or trouble him in his way see the Note Psal 106.9 Ver. 14. As a Beast goeth down into the Valley the Spirit of the Lord c. Some Expositors hold that here which is more probable than that which is noted before to be the opinion of others concerning ver 12. the Prophet doth here speak again owning and farther setting forth what God had said in the foregoing Verse concerning his leading the Israelites through the red Sea as a Horse in the Wilderness And indeed the last words of this Verse So didst thou lead thy People c. are clearly the words of the Prophet or Church to God As a
Beast goeth down into the Valley to wit gently and softly when it is led down a steep Hill the Spirit of the Lord that is God by his Almighty Power or by his Holy Spirit caused him that is Moses say some the Leader of his People or rather thy People Israel to rest to wit in that the Lord after he had carried his Israel through the Red Sea did lead him along quietly through the Wilderness providing for him resting places by the way as it is expresly said Numb 10.33 until he had brought them to Canaan the land of their rest see the Notes Psal 95.11 and Jer. 31.2 And then in the next words the Prophet turns his speech to God so didst thou lead thy People to make thy self a glorious name see the Note above ver 12. Ver. 15. Look down from Heaven c. Here the People of God in Babylon or the Prophet in their name having from ver 7. set forth what great mercy God had shown to their Fathers and what great deliverance he had wrought for them in former times do now pray that God would do the like for them that though he had of late for a time hidden himself from them yet now he would again appear for them see the Note Psal 80.14 and behold from the habitation of thy Holiness and of thy Glory to wit the extream misery we are in implying that if God would but take notice of their misery they hoped he could not but pity and help them where is thy zeal that is thy vehement love to thy People not enduring to see them wronged by their Enemies see 2 Kings 19.31 thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me It is an expression taken from those rumblings in the Bowels which strong passions of this nature do usually work in Men see the Note Chap. 16.11 see the Notes Psal 77.7 and 89.49 are they restrained that is dost thou or canst thou against thy natural inclination restrain those yearnings of thy Bowels which are wont so freely to flow out towards thy People at other times Ver. 16. Doubtless thou art our Father c. As if he had said And therefore surly thou wilt pity us thy Children though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not to wit as being long since departed out of this world They indeed were our Fathers but they are now strangers to the things that are done here below and know nothing of our condition Some there are indeed that would have the words understood in another sense As 1. Though Abraham be ignorant of us c. that is though Abraham and Israel would not own us as their Children yet we are sure thou O God art our Father Or 2. Though we should suppose that they are ignorant of our condition let that be granted yet certainly God is our Father Or 3. Though they were not comparatively to be owned as their Fathers yet to be sure God was their Father But all this needs not there is no cause why we should stumble at that sense which the words do clearly and plainly hold forth thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer to wit therefore their Father because he was their Redeemer thy name is from everlasting that is thy fame for thy great works hath been from everlasting or this thy name of being the Redeemer of thy People hath been from everlasting And indeed thus some read the last words jointly together as it is in the Margin our Redeemer from everlasting is thy name It may be haply questioned by some why in the beginning of this Verse Isaac is not reckoned amongst their Fathers as Abraham and Israel But to this the common answer that is given is that Abraham and Israel are mentioned because God did oftenest and most solemnly appear to them and confirmed his Covenant with them and because the Covenant was first made with Abraham and all Jacobs Children were taken into Covenant And besides it is said that Abraham and Israel being named Isaac that was between them is included Ver. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy ways c. This is spoken with reference to that before But they rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit ver 10. Why hast thou made us to err from thy ways and hardened our Heart from thy fear That is Why hast thou by way of punishing us for our sins withdrawn thy Spirit from us and delivered us up to a Spirit of error and obstinacy and so left us to run after our own Hearts into so many erroeous and wicked ways see the Notes Chap. 6.9 10. and 29.10 Exod. 7.13 and Job 12.16 Some indeed understand this a little otherwise Namely that this is spoken of Gods being the occasion of their turning away from Gods ways and their obstinacy therein by continuing them so long under the oppression of their cruel Enemies which is indeed a sore temptation for which see the Note Psal 125.3 But I conceive the first Exposition is the best and accordingly that it is spoken by way of bewailing that their Heavenly Father should in such wrath withdraw himself from them and so leave them under such a dreadful Judgment and by way of entreating that it might be otherwise with them as if they had said Why dost thou not soften our Hearts and reform what is amiss in us Return for thy Servants sake the tribes of thine inheritance that is be reconciled again to thy People and shew thy self again favourable to them because they are thy Servants and thine Inheritance and it might seem dishonourable to God to cast off his Servants or to disregard his own Inheritance Yet some understand it otherwise Return for thy Servants sake c. that is with respect to thy Servants our Progenitors and with respect to the Covenant which thou madest with them see Note Psal 132.1 But the former Exposition is far the clearer Ver. 18. The People of thine Holiness c. That is thy holy People see the Note Exod. 19.6 have possessed it but a little while and this they say though they had possessed it many hundred years because Men are prone to think it but a little time when they have enjoyed a thing long if they earnestly desire to enjoy it longer or rather because those many hundred years were indeed but a little while in comparison of what God had promised the Patriarchs Namely that they should possess it for ever Gen. 17.8 Our Enemies have trodden down thy Sanctuary that is thy Temple or the Land of Canaan for that is sometimes also called Gods Sanctury see the Note Psal 78.54 However this implies that the wrong to himself might well engage the Lord to appear against their Enemies CHAP. LXIV VERSE 1. OH that thou wouldest rent the Heavens c. The People of God as being much troubled at that whereof they had complained in the latter end of the foregoing Chapter that the Heathens had
from whence the promised Messiah the Lord Christ was to spring and because the accomplishment of the great promise of sending Christ into the World was the foundation fountain and cause of all other mercies and deliverances which God should at any time afford his people And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots that is when Davids Family shall be in a manner utterly ruined so that there shall not be the least appearance of any Regal Dignity in it but it shall be reduced to a very mean and low estate like the stub the trunk or stump of a tree that is cut down almost close to the ground so that there is nothing left of it but a little dead stock that hath its roots still in the ground then unexpectedly there shall spring up a small weak contemptible twig or branch out of this seeming dry and dead stump and shall grow up that at last in and by him the family and Kingdom of David yea that whole seed of Abraham shall mount up to a greater estate of Glory than ever formerly they enjoyed And observable it is that â—â—e better to set this forth it is said That this rod or sprig should come forth out of thâ— stem â—ot of David but Jesse to imply that when this should be done Davids Family should be in as low a condition as it was in the days of his Father Jesse who was a mean obscure man see the Note 1 Sam. 10.27 Now of Hezekiah as the Jews would have it this cannot be meant because in his days the Family of David was never brought so low And far greater things are here spoken of this branch than can with any shew of reason be applied to Zorobabel or any other Ruler of the Jews after their return from the Babylonian Captivity But now in Jesus Christ this was fully accomplished because by the mean condition of the Virgin Mary his Mother who at her Purification brought the Offering of the poorer sort of people Luke 2.24 and his Foster-father Joseph to whom she was married a poor Carpenter it appears plainly that the Royal Family of David from whom they both were lineally descended was at that time brought to a very contemptible condition even like to the dry and dead stump of a tree And accordingly the outward condition of Christ the weak and poor twig that sprung from this withered stub was very base in the eye of the world But yet we see to what a height of Spiritual Glory the Kingdom of David was in Christ soon advanced by the preaching of the Gospel By the last clause and a branch shall grow cut of his roots the same in effect I conceive is meant yet some would have it That by growing out of his roots is meant his being descended from Abraham and others the Progenitors of David to whom the Messiah was promised And because the Hebrew word here translated a Branch is Nezer therefore some conceive there is an allusion herein to the City Nazareth where Christ usually dwelt Matth. 2.23 Ver. 2. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him c. That is the Holy Ghost and therewith the gifts of the Holy Ghost shall take up its perpetual uninterrupted residence with him and in him which was signified at the Baptism of Christ when the Holy Ghost came down upon Christ in the likeness of a Dove and as the Baptist said it abode upon him Joh. 1.32 Indeed we read of the Spirit 's resting upon others as upon the seventy Elders that were chosen to assist Moses in the government of the people Numb 11.25 upon Elisha 2 King 2.15 yea upon all real Christians 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you But we must know that the Spirit rested upon Christ in a more special and singular manner than it doth or ever did upon others 1. Because in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 2ly Because the gifts of the Holy Ghost were conferred upon his human nature in all perfection both for number and measure Joh. 3.34 See the Note Psal 45.7 Amongst men some have some gifts of the Spirit and others have other gifts but Christ had all that others have and more than all others have And again others have gifts requisite for the members of the Church some in a greater measure and some in a less but now Christ had gifts requisite for the head proper and peculiar to himself And 3ly Because the Spirit so rested upon him even in regard of his person that it was impossible it should ever be removed from him However observable it is how clearly it is hereby implied That the Kingdom of Christ was to be wholly a spiritual Kingdom in that the Prophet having in the foregoing verse spoken of his first coming into the World and then undertaking here to shew how he should be in his person fitted for the discharge of the Office of the Messiah he mentions this as that wherein the whole Power and Glory and Majesty of his Kingdom should consist That the Spirit of God should in so eminent a manner rest upon him and that he should be so superabundanly furnished with spiritual gifts even that he might be as an everlasting treasure from whence these gifts should be continually imparted to his Church And accordingly the Prophet does here recite some of the choice endowments wherewith he should be fully replenished both for the managing of his spiritual Kingdom and the constant supply of his people the Spirit of wisdom and understanding whereby men are enabled to understand things aright and to order all things wisely and prudently the Spirit of Counsel and might whereby men are inabled to judge rightly in difficult cases and straits and courageously to undertake and go through with any thing they are called to do or to suffer in a just cause See also the Notes Chap. 9.6 The Spirit of Knowledge and of the fear of the Lord that is the power of discerning the most hidden things and a reverential fear towards God But now we must know that under these all other the manifold gifts of the Spirit are by a Synechdoche comprehended only these seem to be particularly mentioned with respect to Christs Regal Power for judging his people whereto these gifts here named are principally requisite Ver. 3. And shall make him of quick understanding c. That is the Spirit of the Lord that shall rest upon him shall make him exceedingly yea infallibly sagacious in discovering persons and things for the Prophet having in the foregoing verse shown the excellent endowments of the person of Christ here he proceeds to shew how he should exercise these his gifts and endowments in the Administration of his Regal power It is in the original And he shall make him sent or smell in the
adoption and the glory and the covenants c. they shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God that is The Wilderness and Desert before mentioned or the faithful people of God that were before as a Desert and Wilderness Some understand this also as that before as spoken in a hyperbolical way of the Deserts themselves But it is rather meant of Gods people to wit that in Gods destroying their enemies and delivering them when they were in such a forlon Condition they should through faith experimentally see and own the glorious power and other excellencies of God as clearly discovered to them See the foregoing Note And observable it is with what joy the Prophet expresseth this as with respect to their peculiar interest in God and the excellency of our God But now if we understand this of the Church under Christ then by these words they shall see the glory of the Lord c. may be meant That they even the blind Gentiles also with the rest should see and acknowledg both the Glory of Christs person according to that John 1.14 And we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father and likewise of that great work of Redemption which he came to perform Ver. 3. Strengthen ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees See the Note Job 4.3 Having told them how God would destroy his peoples enemies and deliver them this is added to encourage them hereupon against all base incredulous fears And it may be taken as spoken either to the Prophets in those times that they should chear up the people whose hearts were ready to sink for fear of their enemies and to the Teachers in the Church in Gospel-times that they should comfort afflicted trembling Consciences or else to the faithful people themselves that they should hearten one another or chear up their own fearful hearts And indeed in this last sense the Apostle seems to apply these words Heb. 12.12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees Ver. 4. Say to them that are of a fearful heart Be ye strong fear not c. That is as some would have it Say so to your own fainting hearts But for this see the foregoing Note Behold your God will come with vengeance as if he had said However your enemies deride you for your confidence in your God yet your God will surely come to take vengeance on your enemies to wit the Assyrians or Babylonians even God with a recompence See the Note Chap. 34.8 he will come and save you that is say some He will not save you from the Assyrians by the Ethiopians as you expect but by his own immediate hand from Heaven But now referring this to the days of the Gospel there is more implied in these words for behold your God will come with vengeance c. may be understood not only of Christs taking vengeance on those that persecute and oppress his Church and people but also of his first coming into the World for the Redemption of his people that he might vanquish and be avenged on their spiritual enemies Sin Satan Death and Hell that so his people being delivered out of the hands of these their enemies might serve him without fear Luke 1.74 See the Note Chap 9.4 and see also 1 John 3.8 Eph. 4.8 and Col. 2.15 And as this hath respect to the Gentiles there is a special Emphasis in those words Behold your God will come with vengeance as if he had said He that will be now your God as well as ours he will come and save you that is Even he himself in his own person Ver. 5. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped How this is to be understood of the holy change that should be wrought in the Jews after the vengeance executed upon the Assyrians or the Babylonians and the deliverances of Gods people that followed thereupon See the foregoing Notes Chap. 29.18 and 32.3 But questionless under this type there is a Prophecy couched of the miraculous cures that Christ should work and therefore we find that the accomplishment of this is alledged by our Saviour as a clear proof that he was the promised Messiah Matth. 11.4 5. Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see The blind receive their sight and the lame walk c. And likewise of that greater wonder he should work in curing those that were spiritually blind and deaf by the preaching of the Gospel And indeed Christs miraculous Cures upon the bodies of men were but pledges of the spiritual Cures which Christ was come to work upon the souls of Believers Ver. 6. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart and the tongue of the dumb sing c. To wit for Joy This may be understood as hyperbolically spoken of the joy that would be amongst the Jews upon the slaughter made in the Assyrian Army or upon their return out of Babylon But withal under this type is foretold the miraculous Cures of Christ the punctual accomplishment whereof we find in the Cripple's leaping when he was cured of his lameness Act. 3.8 and with all the spiritual Cures that should be wrought upon men by the Ministry of the Gospel to wit That they that were before cripled and lame for doing any thing that was truly good should with all chearfulness run in the ways of Gods Commandments and that those that were before dumb for speaking of spiritual and heavenly things should discourse freely of such things and gladly sing forth the praises of God for this is added to shew the reason of such exceeding great joy in the wilderness shall water break out and streams in the desert that is Judea that was as a wilderness shall become as a fruitful and well watered land and that which is implied is that there shall be a blessed and joyful change in their state and no want of any thing they could desire And then also under this type is signified how exceeding fruitful and happy the state of the Church should be at the coming of Christ and that by the abundant pouring forth of the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit upon them which we find often compared to streams of water in the Scripture as Joh. 4.10 c. and 7.38 and may be here compared to waters breaking forth in a wilderness as in allusion to the waters that gushed out of the Rock which Moses struck in the wilderness But for this see the Notes ver 1 2. and Chap. 12.3 Ver. 7. And the parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water c. See the foregoing Note in the habitation of Dragons who delight in desert and dry places where such lay shall be grass with Reeds and Rushes which always grow in moist and watery places Job 8.11 So that the meaning is That the most desolate and waste places