1 Thus saith the Lord, Where is the bill of your mothers diuorcement, whom I haue put away? or which of my creditours is it to whom I haue sold you? Behold, for your iniquities haue you solde your selues, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
2 Wherefore when I came was there no man? when I called, was there none to answere? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeeme? or haue I no power to deliuer? Beholde, at my rebuke I drie vp the sea: I make the riuers a wildernes: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.
3 I clothe the heauens with blackenesse, and I make sackcloth their couering.
4 The Lord God hath giuen me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speake a worde in season to him that is wearie: hee wakeneth morning by morning, hee wakeneth mine eare to heare as the learned.
5 ¶ The Lord God hath opened mine eare, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away backe.
6 I gaue my backe to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the haire: I hidde not my face from shame and spitting.
7 ¶ For the Lord God will helpe me, therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore haue I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not bee ashamed.
8 He is neere that iustifieth me, who will contend with me? let vs stand together: who is mine aduersarie? let him come neere to me.
9 Behold, the Lord God wil helpe me, who is he that shall condemne mee? Loe, they all shall waxe olde as a garment: the moth shall eate them vp.
10 ¶ Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voyce of his seruant, that walketh in darkenesse and hath no light? let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay vpon his God.
11 Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compasse your selues about with sparks: walke in the light of your fire, and in the sparkes that ye haue kindled. This shall ye haue of mine hand, yee shall lie downe in sorrow.
The rejection of the Jews. (1-3) The sufferings and exaltation of the Messiah. (4-9) Consolation to the believer, and warning to the unbeliever. (10,11)1-3 Those who have professed to be people of God, and seem to be dealt severely with, are apt to complain, as if God had been hard with them. Here is an answer for such murmurings; God never deprived any of their advantages, except for their sins. The Jews were sent into Babylon for their idolatry, a sin which broke the covenant; and they were at last rejected for crucifying the Lord of glory. God called on them to leave their sins, and prevent their own ruin. Last of all, the Son came to his own, but his own received him not. When God calls men to happiness, and they will not answer, they are justly left to be miserable. To silence doubts concerning his power, proofs of it are given. The wonders which attended his sufferings and death, proclaimed that he was the Son of God, #Mt 27:54|.
4-9 As Jesus was God and man in one person, we find him sometimes speaking, or spoken of, as the Lord God; at other times, as man and the servant of Jehovah. He was to declare the truths which comfort the broken, contrite heart, those weary of sin, harassed with afflictions. And as the Holy Spirit was upon him, that he might speak as never man spake; so the same Divine influence daily wakened him to pray, to preach the gospel, and to receive and deliver the whole will of the Father. The Father justified the Son when he accepted the satisfaction he made for the sin of man. Christ speaks in the name of all believers. Who dares to be an enemy to those unto whom he is a Friend? or who will contend with those whom he is an Advocate? Thus St. Paul applies it, #Ro 8:33|.
10,11 A child of God is afraid of incurring his displeasure. This grace usually appears most in believers when in darkness, when other graces appear not. Those that truly fear God, obey the voice of Christ. A sincere servant of God may for a long time be without views of eternal happiness. What is likely to be an effectual cure in this sad case? Let him trust in the name of the Lord; and let him stay himself upon the promises of the covenant, and build his hopes on them. Let him trust in Christ, trust in that name of his, The Lord our Righteousness; stay himself upon God as his God, in and through a Mediator. Presuming sinners are warned not to trust in themselves. Their own merit and sufficiency are light and heat to them. Creature-comforts are as sparks, short-lived, and soon gone; yet the children of this world, while they last, seek to warm themselves by them, and walk with pride and pleasure in the light of them. Those that make the world their comfort, and their own righteousness their confidence, will certainly meet with bitterness in the end. A godly man's way may be dark, but his end shall be peace and everlasting light. A wicked man's way may be pleasant, but his end and abode for ever will be utter darkness.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.