Westminster Annotations, Isaiah · Chapter 59
CHAP. LIX.
Vers. 1. THe LORDS hand is not shortened that it cannot save: neither his eare heavie that it cannot heare] Heb. from saving. as Chap. 50. 2. Ye complain, that God doth not hear, nor help you; as he did others in times past, Psal. 22. 4, 5. & 44. 1,—22. Chap. 51. 10. & 58. 3. the fault is not in God; (who is still the same, not subject to any defect, or default: Num. 11. 13. Chap. 50. 2. Mal. 3. 6.) but in your selves and your sinnes, Jer. 5. 25. Iam. 3. 42, 44.
V. 2. your sinnes have hid his face] Or, have made him hide his face from you. Heb. from hearing as vers. 1. Psal. 10. 1. Chap. 8. 17. & 57. 17.
that he will not heare] Heb. from hearing. as Zech. 7. 11, 12.
V. 3. your hands are defiled with bloud] Chap. 1. 15.
V. 4. None calleth for justice, &c.] All men wink at wrongs and oppressions: and no man endevoureth to remedie or redresse them, Vers. 16. Eccl. 4. 1. Jer. 9. 3.
they trust in vanitie, &c.] Psal. 4. 4. Chap. 28. 11.
they conceive mischief and bring forth iniqu…tie] They devise evill; and put it in execution accordingly, Job 15. 35. Psal. 7. 14. and 36. 4. Chap. 65. 2, 3. Mic. 2. 1.
V. 5. They hatch cockatrice-egs] Or, adders egs. Chap. 11. 8. Nothing cometh from them, but what is poisonfull and pernicious, Deut. 23. 32, 33. Rom. 3. 13,—16.
weave the spiders web] That may entangle others, as the spiders web doth the flie, to their destruction and undoing, Psal. 10. 9. Mic. 7. 2.
that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper] Or, that which is sprinkled, is as if there brake out a viper.
V. 6. Their webs shall not become garments, &c.] Yet their cursed devises, plots and practises shall not be able to shelter them against Gods vengeance, Chap. 28. 15, 18, 20. & 30. 12, 13. they shall indeed prove as cob-webs to themselves, for any succour they shall receive from them, Job 8. 14.
V. 7. Their feet runne to evill] Pro. 1. 16. Rom. 3. 15.
wasting and destruction] Heb. breaking. Chap. 1. 27.
V. 8. there is no judgement] Or, right. Chap. 56 1.
they have made them crooked paths] Such as swerve from the streight way of Gods will and word, Pro. 2. 15, 16.
shall not know peace] Or, have peace. as 2 Cor. 5. 21. possesse, or enjoy peace: as to see good, is to enjoy it, Psal. 34. 12. to see life, to live, Joh. 3. 36.
V. 9. is judgement farre from us] God doth neither execute judgement for us upon our enemies, nor protect us against them, Hab. 1. 13,—17.
we wait for light, but behold obscuritie, &c.] We expect deliverance out of our troubles: but they rather increase with us. Esth. 8. 17. Chap. 58. 9. Jer. 8. 15. and 14. 19.
for brightnesse] Heb. brightnesses.
we walk in darknesse] Heb. as in mists. We are like men that have lost themselves in a great mist; and know not what way to take, 1 Joh. 2. 11.
V. 10. We grope for the wall like the blind, &c.] We are wholly destitute of counsell; and can find no issue out of our miseries, Deut. 28. 29. Job 5. 14. Lam. 4. 14.
we stumble at noon day as in the night] Heb. twilight. or, evening. Pro. 7. 9.
we are in desolate places as dead men] Or, in fat places. Gen. 27. 28, 39. That is, we are in a miserable condition; our whole land being wasted, Chap. 1. 7. Or, though in plenty of outward means, yet having no comfort of them, or freedome to enjoy them; by reason of our calamities otherwise, Job 20. 22. Chap. 24. 9. being no better then dead men, Psal. 44. 19. & 88. 4, - 6. Eccl. 5. 17. & 6. 2, 3.
V. 11. We rore all like bears, &c.] All we can do, is but to bemoan our selves; and to cry out: or, mourn, for indignation and grief of heart, Psal. 22. 1. & 32. 4. & 38. 8. Chap. 38. 14. Ezek. 7. 16. Hos. 7. 14.
mourn sore] Heb. mourning mourn.
like doves] Chap. 28. 14. Ezek. 7. 16.
we look for judgement, &c.] See vers. 9.
V. 12. our transgressions are multiplied] The cause, why God, and his aid is so farre from us, vers. 2.
before thee] Psal 90 8.
our sinnes testifie against us] Heb. answer against us. as a witnesse produced and examined upon interrogatories doth against him whom he standeth up to accuse, Exod. 20. 16. See Chap. 3. 9. Jer. 14. 7.
our transgressions are with us] The confession of the Church; which the Prophet also doth not exempt himself from, as being a member thereof, Exod. 34. 9.
we know them] Or, acknowledge them. Psal. 51. 3. Jer. 3. 13. and 14. 20.
V. 13. In transgressing and lying, &c.] Or, We transgresse, and lie, (that is, deal disloyally, as Chap 57. 11. & 63. 8.) and depart away, &c. Or, Transgressing we transgresse, and lying we lie, and departing away we depart away: A defective form of speech; like that Dan. 9. 5. we have rebelled, and departing departed, &c. and vers. 11. have transgressed, and departing departed, &c. So Chap. 43. 8. Jer. 6. 11. and 14. 5.
uttering from the heart] Psal. 58. 2.
words of falshood] Against our neighbours, Exod. 20. 16.
V. 14. judgement is turned away, &c.] And no marvell if God denie it unto us, when we have no regard to practise it our selves. vers. 9. 11.
for] Or, because as Chap. 48. 8. Jer. 3. 21.
equitie cannot enter] Or, cannot go. Either cannot find entrance and entertainment; or, is not able to stand and bear it selfe up.
maketh himself a prey] Or, is accounted ma…. 2 King. 9 11.
a prey.] To the wicked, Hab. 1. 13. 1 Joh. 3. 12.
it displeased him] Heb. it was evill in his eyes. 2 Sam. 11. 27.
V. 16. there was no intercessour] Or, interposer. Job 36. 32. None that would stand up and endevour to set things in better order; ver. 4. Chap. 63. 5. Or, as some, none that would intercede with God for his people, Ezek. 22. 30.
his arm brought salvation unto him] His own power did sustain and save his Church. Chap. 51. 5. Or, he did the work himself, by his own power, without use of other means, Psal. 98. 1. Chap. 63. 1. 3, 5.
V. 17. he put on righteousnesse as a brest-plate, &c.] Ephes. 6. 14. 17. 1 Thess. 5. 8. God did so conspicuously shew forth his almightie power, justice, and tender affection to his people, in the deliverance of them, and destruction of their enemies, that they might as evidently be seen in him, as garments, or armour, on one that weareth them, Psal. 93. 1. & 94. 1. & 98. 2.
V. 18. According to their deeds, &c.] Chap. 63. 6. Heb. recompenses. or, deservings. Judg. 9. 16. Chap. 34. 8.
recompense to his enemies, to the islands, &c.] His peoples enemies, that live in divers countries; and those many of them neer to, or beyond the seas. See Chap. 41. 1. & 49. 1. & 66. 6.
V. 19. shall they fear the name of the LORD] Or, shall the name of the Lord be feared. as Chap. 57. 14.
from the west] Or, evening coast. Chap. 45. 6. Psal. 113. 3. Mal. 1. 11.
the enemie shall come in like a floud] The enemies furie and force shall be great; and their distresse and danger therefore grievous. Chap. 8. 7, 8. Psal. 124. 4. Rev. 12. 15.
the spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him] Chap. 10. 18. Or, put him to flight. God with a blast of his breath onelyonly, shall blow him away, Chap. 17. 13. and 37. 7. Zech. 4. 6.
V. 20. the redeemer] Jesus Christ. See Rom. 11. 26.
shall come to Zion] To his Church, whereof that a type, Chap. 62. 1.
that turn from transgression] True deliverance belonging to none, but such as turn from their sinnes. Deut. 30. 2, 3. 2 Chron. 6. 37, - 39. Act. 3. 26.
V. 21. My spirit that is upon thee, and my words, &c.] Because teaching becometh profitable by the cooperation of the Spirit. 2 Cor. 3. 6. he joyneth both together, Joh. 6. 36. and promiseth the continuance of both unto his Church, for ever, Chap. 30. 20. & 49. 2. & 51. 16. Matth. 28. 40. Joh. 14. 16, 17.
of thy seed] The faithfull: the seed according to the promise, Rom. 9. 6, - 8. Gal. 3. 16, 29.