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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 51:9-16

In these verses we have, I. A prayer that God would, in his providence, appear and act for the deliverance of his people and the mortification of his and their enemies. Awake, awake! put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Isa. 51:9. The arm of the Lord is Christ, or it is put for God himself, as Ps. 44:23. Awake! why sleepest thou? He that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps; but, when we pray that he would awake, we mean that he would make it to appear that he watches over his people and is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 51:11

Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return ,.... Or "and", or "so" F17 ופדויי "et nunc", V. L. "ita", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. And Ben Melech observes, that ו "and", is in the room of כז , "thus". . In like manner, and as sure as the Israelites had a way made for them through the sea to pass over, so sure shall all those that are redeemed by the blood of Christ from sin, Satan, the law, death, and hell, be gathered out of the nations of the world, and from the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 51:11

They shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away - Nineteen MSS. and the two oldest editions have ישגו yasigu ; and forty-six MSS. of Kennicott's and ten of De Rossi's, and the same two editions, and agreeably to them the Chaldee and Syriac, have ונסו venasu ; and so both words are expressed, Isaiah 35:10 , of which place this is a repetition. And from comparing both together it appears that the ו vau in this place is become by mistake in the present... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 51:7-13

A sure criterion of character, etc. This address of Jehovah to the good and worthy among his people contains— I. A SURE CRITERION OF CHARACTER . 1 . It is well to be hearers of God's Word. All the Jews were that; they were all the children of privilege. This, however, was by no means sufficient to prove that they were the children of God. 2 . It is better to know his Word and to understand his will. It says something for us if we can be thus addressed, "Ye that know... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 51:7-13

Fear, and Fear not. "Fear ye not the reproach of men;" "Afraid of a man that shall die;" "Forgettest the Lord thy Maker." It has been said, "Fear God, and thou shalt have none else to fear." And the apostle, glorifying the fear of God by calling it love , says, "Perfect love casteth out fear." The immediate connection of the passage is Israel's fear of the Babylonians. But they need not have feared if they had looked to the "Lord as their Defence, and to the God of Jacob as their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 51:9-11

AN APPEAL OF THE PROPHET TO GOD TO AROUSE HIMSELF , WITH A PROMISE OF ISRAEL 'S RESTORATION . There has been much doubt as to the utterer of this "splendid apostrophe." Zion, the prophet, the angels, Jehovah, and God the Son pleading with God the Father, have been suggested. To us it seems simplest and best to assign the passage to the prophet. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 51:9-11

The arm of Jehovah. Either the people call on Jehovah, or he is concerned as calling on himself to awake and rouse up his might for the defence of his people as in the days of old, I. THE ARM OF JEHOVAH AS SYMBOLIC OF HIS POWER . It is the symbol of spiritual power opposed to that of darkness, death, the under-world, He is said to have "smitten Rahab, and wounded the dragon." Commonly this has been understood of Egypt, but the reference seems to be more general. It... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 51:11

No sorrow nor mourning in the final kingdom of the Redeemer. The promise here set forth with all brevity is graciously expanded in the revelation of St. John, and is inexpressibly comforting to grieved and harassed souls. "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men," says the apostle, "and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 51:11

Joy-song on the way to Zion. (See Isaiah 35:10 .) There may be an allusion to the custom, so common in the East, of singing upon a journey, particularly with a view to quicken the pace of the camels. Bush writes, "We should not have passed this plain so rapidly, but for the common custom of the Arabs of urging on their camels by singing. The effect is very extraordinary; this musical excitement increases their pace at least one-fourth. First one camel-driver sings a verse, then the others... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 51:11

Therefore the redeemed of the Lord - This is probably the language of Yahweh assuring them, in answer to their prayer, that his ransomed people should again return to Zion.And everlasting joy shall be upon their head - This entire verse occurs also in Isaiah 35:10. See it explained in the note on that verse. The custom of singing alluded to here on a journey is now very common in the East. It is practiced to relieve the tediousness of a journey over extended plains, as well as to induce the... read more

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