Annotations Upon Isaiah, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
VERSE 1. AND in that day, &c.] That is, In that day when the root of Jeſſe ſhall by the preaching of the Goſpel be lifted up as an enſign for the gathering in of Gods people (ſee the Notes before Chap. 11.10, 11.) Thou ſhalt ſay, O Lord, I will praiſe thee, that is, Thou my Church and people (he ſpeaks to them collectively, as to one man, becauſe of that firm Union of hearts that ſhould be amongſt them, Act. 4.32.) ſhalt praiſe God with a Song of Thankſgiving, as once the Iſraelites did, when they were delivered out of Egypt, Exod. 15.1. for having in the latter end of the foregoing Chapter, ver. 11, 15, 16. compared the deliverance of Gods people by Chriſt to the deliverance of the Iſraelites out of Egypt, even in this gratulatory Song that is here preſcribed, there may be alſo an Alluſion, as I conceive, to that Song of Moſes. And though it might be intended as a Pſalm of Thankſgiving for their deliverance out of the Babylonian Captivity, as that was a type of our Redemption by Chriſt; yet it is evident by thoſe promiſes in the foregoing Chapter, that this Song doth chiefly relate to the great deliverance of Gods redeemed ones in the days of the Goſpel; there being alſo further aſſurance given them of the aſſured certainty of that great work, by preſcribing them a Song to be ſung by them.
Though thou waſt angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedſt me.] that is, Though in thy juſt diſpleaſure thou ſeemedſt utterly to have caſt us off, by driving us out of our Country, depriving us of thine Ordinances, and ſcattering us abroad all the world over; yet now by calling us home to thy ſelf, thou haſt fully comforted us again.
Ver. 2. Behold, God is my ſalvation: I will truſt and not be afraid, &c.] This may have particular reſpect to that wonderful work of our Redemption by Chriſt, who was true and very God; for the Lord Jehovah is my ſtrength and my Song, he alſo it become my Salvation. See the Note Exod. 15.2.
Ver. 3. Therefore with joy ſhall ye draw water out of the Wells of Salvation.] By the Waters here promiſed, may be meant all the benefits which Chriſt hath purchaſed for poor ſinners; and move eſpecially the word of life, and the Spirit of Chriſt, together, with the Graces and Comforts of his Spirit, which are often compared to Water in the Scripture, as Joh. 7.38. 1. Becauſe they waſh and purifie men ſpiritually, Ezek. 36.26. Then will …inkle clean Waters upon you, and ye ſhall be clean, &c. 2ly. Becauſe they make men fruitful in good works, ſee the Note Pſal. 1.3. And 3ly. becauſe they do fully quench the thirſt of mens ſouls, as well by taking away mens inſatiable thirſt after earthly things, as by ſatisfying their earneſt deſires after righteouſneſs and life eternal, Joh. 4.14. Whoſoever ſhall drink of the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt, &c. And then by the Wells of Salvation, may be meant, either the promiſes of the Goſpel, or elſe Chriſt himſelf, from whom all theſe Bleſſings are derived unto Believers, Joh. 1.16. And of his fulneſs have all we received and Grace for Grace: ſo that the meaning of the words is ſummarily this, That in the days of the Goſpel Believers ſhould abundantly, day after day, with ready and ſtrong deſires draw forth unto themſelves from Chriſt and his Goſpel-Promiſes and Ordinances, all thoſe precious Benefits which are there ſtored up for them; and that with as much joy, as when thirſty men do meet with pure and wholeſom waters wherewith they may quench their thirſt; yet withall, theſe words [with joy] may be inſerted, as in oppoſition to the hard labour which men do uſually undergo, in drawing water out of deep Wells; thereby to imply, that their endeavours to draw forth theſe Spiritual Waters for themſelves, ſhould be no way grievous and burdenſome to them, as the drawing of water uſeth to be unto men.
V. 4. And in that day ſhall ye ſay, Praiſe ye the Lord, &c.] See the Note 1 Chro. 16.8. The meaning is, That in thoſe days the faithful ſhould not only praiſe God themſelves, but ſhould alſo ſtir up one another to do it; yea, and that they ſhould take care for the converting of others, that they who being brought in to Chriſt might praiſe God together with them: Call upon his name, to wit, as thereby acknowledging, that in him is all your hope of Salvation; yet it may be read as it is in the Margin, Pro…nim his name, to wit, by your thankſgiving and ſpeaking to his praiſe; declare his doing among the people, to wit, as all other the great works of God, ſo eſpecially what he hath done for mans Redemption by Chriſt. See the Note Pſal. 57.9. make mention, that his name is exalted, to wit, by the great things he hath done, and by the making of them known throughout all Nations.
Ver. 5. Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things, &c.] Even this is alſo principally meant of the excellent things done by Chriſt for the Salvation of his redeemed Ones. And therefore is that added, this is known in all the earth.
Ver. 6. Cry out and ſhout, thou Inhabitant of Zion, &c.] that is, ſhout for joy all ye that are of the Church and people of God, for great is the holy One of Iſrael in the midſt of thee; that is, God; ſee the Notes Chap. 1.4. and Pſal. 48.1. But it may be meant alſo of Chriſt, who dwelt in the midſt of his people in regard of his bodily preſence, whilſt he lived upon earth, and did great and ineffable things for them, even when he was of ſo little eſteem in the eyes of the world; and hath promiſed, that he will by his Spirit be continually with them even unto the end.