ISRAEL HUMBLY CONFESSES ITS SIN 'S TO GOD . Isaiah, anxious to bring the people to confession and amendment, makes humble confession in their name, joining himself with them, as if he had been a participator in their iniquities. read more
We grope for the wall ; rather, we grope along the wall (comp. Deuteronomy 28:29 ; and for the "blindness that had happened unto Israel" see above, Isaiah 29:10 , Isaiah 29:18 ; Isaiah 35:5 ; Isaiah 42:16 , etc.). We stumble at noonday . It was not that light was really wanting, but they had no eyes to behold it. We are in desolate places; rather, in dark places (Vulgate, Rodiger, Kay, Knobel). The word occurs only in this place, and is of doubtful signification. read more
We roar all like bears ; rather, we growl. The verb is used commonly of the "roaring" of the sea ( Isaiah 17:12 ; Isaiah 51:15 ; Jeremiah 6:23 ; Jeremiah 31:1-40 :45; Jeremiah 50:42 ; Jeremiah 51:55 ); but is applied also to the noise made by a dog ( Psalms 59:6 , Psalms 59:14 ). Here it represents the deep murmur of discontent, which alternates with the mournful tones of Israel's despondency—the latter being compared to the melancholy cooing of the dove (see Isaiah 38:14 ... read more
Our transgressions are multiplied before thee ; i.e. they are very numerous; and they come "before God," so as to attract his attention and call for his animadversion. Our sins testify against us; i.e. "rise up against us as witnesses, whose evidence we cannot disprove, and have not even the face to dispute." Our transgressions are with us —i.e. "constantly haunt us"—and as for our iniquities, we know them; i.e. we are aware of them, we acknowledge them, we have them continually in... read more
An enumeration of special sins. First, sins of the heart. Transgressing and lying against the Lord ; or rather, treason and unfaithfulness to Jehovah (Cheyne); followed by departing away from God, or the secret act of apostasy. Next, sins of the tongue: Speaking oppression and revolt; or, oppression and wrong— the "wrong," probably, of false accusation (comp. Deuteronomy 19:16 ); and, lastly, conceiving and uttering · words of falsehood generally. read more
Judgment is turned away backward . In conclusion, the crying sin of perversion of justice is admitted with much amplification. (1) Right judgment is exactly inverted—the innocent are condemned, the guilty acquitted. read more
Truth the foundation of morality. Surprise is sometimes expressed at there being no distinct prohibition of all lying in the ten commandments. "False witness" alone is forbidden. But the reason may be that truth is assumed as too fundamentally necessary for any one to suppose that it could possibly be dispensed with. Similarly, piety is assumed as a duty in the commandments, where men are not bidden to worship God, but warned against worshipping more than one God, and against worshipping him... read more
Yea, truth faileth . Truth itself is altogether gone, is missing, not forthcoming. "Tetras Astraea reliquit." This is the worst of all. For truth is the basis of the social fabric, the groundwork of all morality. Once let there be no regard for truth in a state, no discredit attaching to lying, and all virtue is undermined, all soundness is vanished—nothing remains but "wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores" ( Isaiah 1:6 ). He that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey .... read more
And the Lord saw it . The division of the verses here requires alteration. The opening clause of Isaiah 59:15 belongs to what precedes; the second clause to what follows. "The Lord saw" that condition of things in Israel which is described in Isaiah 59:3-15 ; and it displeased him; literally, it was evil in his eyes , especially in that there was no judgment. Justice was not done between man and man; no one thought of pronouncing just judgments. The circumstances were such as to... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 59:9-10
The goal of guilt. A course of conduct or a principle of action is rightly judged by the issue to which it tends. All is well that ends well, and all is ill that ends ill. If we look far enough and deep enough in our estimate of consequences , we shall always find that the goal of guilt is wretchedness and ruin. It ends in— I. A SENSE OF WRONG . The nation feels that "judgment and justice" are lacking and the enemy is triumphant; the individual feels that he is injured, that... read more