1 But now thus sayeth the Lord that created thee, O Iacob, and hee that formed thee, O Israel; Feare not: for I haue redeemed thee, I haue called thee by thy name, thou art mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I wil be with thee; and through the riuers, they shal not ouerflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee.
3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy one of Israel, thy Sauiour: I gaue Egypt for thy ransome, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast bene honourable, and I haue loued thee: therefore will I giue men for thee, and people for thy life.
5 Feare not, for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the East, and gather thee from the West.
6 I wil say to the North, Giue vp; and to the South, Keepe not backe: bring my sonnes from farre, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
7 Euen euery one that is called by my Name: for I haue created him for my glory, I haue formed him, yea I haue made him.
8 ¶ Bring foorth the blinde people, that haue eyes; and the deafe that haue eares.
9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew vs former things? let them bring foorth their witnesses, that they may be iustified: or let them heare, and say, It is trueth.
10 Yee are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my seruant whom I haue chosen: that ye may know and beleeue me, and vnderstand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
11 I, euen I am the Lord, and beside me there is no Sauiour.
12 I haue declared, and haue saued, and I haue shewed, when there was no strange God among you: therefore yee are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God.
13 Yea before the day was, I am hee; and there is none that can deliuer out of my hand: I will worke, and who shall let it?
14 ¶ Thus sayth the Lord your Redeemer, the Holy one of Israel; For your sake I haue sent to Babylon, and haue brought downe all their nobles, and the Caldeans, whose crie is in the shippes.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy one, the Creatour of Israel, your King.
16 Thus sayth the Lord, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mightie waters:
17 Which bringeth foorth the charet and horse, the armie and the power: they shall lie downe together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as towe.
18 ¶ Remember yee not the former things, neither consider the things of olde.
19 Behold, I will doe a new thing: now it shall spring foorth, shall yee not know it? I will euen make a way in the wildernesse, and riuers in the desert.
20 The beast of the field shall honor mee, the dragons and the owles, because I giue waters in the wildernesse, and riuers in the desert, to giue drinke to my people, my chosen.
21 This people haue I formed for my selfe, they shall shewe foorth my praise.
22 ¶ But thou hast not called vpon me, O Iacob, but thou hast beene wearie of me, O Israel.
23 Thou hast not brought mee the small cattell of thy burnt offrings, neither hast thou honoured mee with thy sacrifices. I haue not caused thee to serue with an offring, nor wearied thee with incense.
24 Thou hast bought mee no sweete cane with money, neither hast thou filled mee with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made mee to serue with thy sins, thou hast wearied mee with thine iniquities.
25 I, euen I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake, and will not remember thy sinnes.
26 Put mee in remembrance: let vs plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest bee iustified.
27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers haue transgressed against mee.
28 Therefore I haue profaned the princes of the Sanctuarie, and haue giuen Iacob to the curse, and Israel to reproches.
God's unchangeable love for his people. (1-7) Apostates and idolaters addressed. (8-13) The deliverance from Babylon, and the conversion of the Gentiles. (14-21) Admonition to repent of sin. (22-28)1-7 God's favour and good-will to his people speak abundant comfort to all believers. The new creature, wherever it is, is of God's forming. All who are redeemed with the blood of his Son, he has set apart for himself. Those that have God for them need not fear who or what can be against them.
What are Egypt and Ethiopia, all their lives and treasures, compared with the blood of Christ? True believers are precious in God's sight, his delight is in them, above any people. Though they went as through fire and water, yet, while they had God with them, they need fear no evil; they should be born up, and brought out. The faithful are encouraged. They were to be assembled from every quarter. And with this pleasing object in view, the prophet again dissuades from anxious fears.
8-13 Idolaters are called to appear in defence of their idols. Those who make them, and trust in them, are like unto them. They have the shape and faculties of men; but they have not common sense. But God's people know the power of his grace, the sweetness of his comforts, the kind care of his providence, and the truth of his promise. All servants of God can give such an account of what he has wrought in them, and done for them, as may lead others to know and believe his power, truth, and love
14-21 The deliverance from Babylon is foretold, but there is reference to greater events. The redemption of sinners by Christ, the conversion of the Gentiles, and the recall of the Jews, are described. All that is to be done to rescue sinners, and to bring the believer to glory, is little, compared with that wondrous work of love, the redemption of man.
22-28 Those who neglect to call upon God, are weary of him. The Master tired not the servants with his commands, but they tired him with disobedience. What were the riches of God's mercy toward them? I, even I, am he who yet blotteth out thy transgressions. This encourages us to repent, because there is forgiveness with God, and shows the freeness of Divine mercy. When God forgives, he forgets. It is not for any thing in us, but for his mercies' sake, his promise' sake; especially for his Son's sake. He is pleased to reckon it his honour. Would man justify himself before God? The attempt is desperate: our first father broke the covenant, and we all have copied his example. We have no reason to expect pardon, except we seek it by faith in Christ; and that is always attended by true repentance, and followed by newness of life, by hatred of sin, and love to God. Let us then put him in remembrance of the promises he has made to the penitent, and the satisfaction his Son has made for them. Plead these with him in wrestling for pardon; and declare these things, that thou mayest be justified freely by his grace. This is the only way, and it is a sure way to peace.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.