Isaiah 26:16

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 26:12-19

The prophet in these verses looks back upon what God had done with them, both in mercy and judgment, and sings unto God of both, and then looks forward upon what he hoped God would do for them. Observe, I. His reviews and reflections are mixed. When he looks back upon the state of the church he finds, 1. That God had in many instances been very gracious to them and had done great things for them. (1.) In general (Isa. 26:12): Thou hast wrought all our works in us, or for us. Whatever good work... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 26:16

Lord, in trouble have they visited thee ,.... This, and the two following verses Isaiah 26:17 , represent the troubles and disappointments of the church and people of God, before the destruction of antichrist; in which time of trouble they will visit the Lord, frequent the throne of grace, as saints in afflictions are wont to do; and sometimes this is the end to be answered by afflictions, Hosea 5:15 , they poured out a prayer ; or "muttering" F5 לחש "mussitationem", Montanus;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 26:16

Lord, in trouble have they visited thee "O Jehovah, in affliction we have sought thee" - So the Septuagint and two MSS. have פקדנוך pekadnucha , in the first person plural. And so perhaps it should be צקנו tsaknu , in the first person; but how the Septuagint read this word is not clear; and this last member of the verse is extremely obscure. For למו lamo , "on them," the Septuagint read לנו lanu , "on us," in the first person likewise; a frequent mistake; see note on ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 26:1-18

A SONG OF THE REDEEMED IN MOUNT ZION . The prophet, having (in Isaiah 25:1-12 .) poured forth his own thankfulness to God for the promise of the Church's final redemption and triumph, proceeds now to represent the Church itself in the glorified state as singing praise to God for the same. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 26:1-18

Thanksgiving the employment of the saints in bliss. The prophet, in this sublime passage of his prophecy, carries us with him within the veil, and reveals to us the very words, or, at the least, the general tone and tenor of utterances, which the saints make when they have passed from earth to heaven, and stand in the very presence of God. The words are, as we should have expected, mainly words of praise and thanksgiving. The saints praise God— I. FOR THE BLESSINGS OF THEIR ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 26:12-18

The argument from the past. Great things are represented, by the prophetic voice, to have been done, and these furnish the strongest reason to expect great things in the future. I. THE GREAT THINGS GOD HAS DONE FOR US . 1. He has heard our cry in the day of distress ( Isaiah 26:16 , Isaiah 26:17 ). Few things go home to our hearts more readily than the words of the psalmist, "I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me." It is a great thing to have been heard of God,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 26:15-21

The resurrection of Israel. The population of Judah has been increased, and its borders extended. (For this cause of rejoicing cf. Isaiah 9:2 ; Isaiah 49:19 , Isaiah 49:20 ; Isaiah 54:1 , etc.; Micah 2:1 , Micah 2:2 ; Micah 4:7 ; Obadiah 1:19 , Obadiah 1:20 .) Probably he is thinking of the population and strength of the land in the days of David and Solomon, as typical of what is again to be in the happier times. But actually a period of gloom and suffering must precede... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 26:16

Lord, in trouble have they visited thee . Here, at any rate, the redeemed go back in thought to their time of trouble. They remember that what brought them back to God from that alienation which they have confessed ( Isaiah 26:13 ) was the affliction which they so long endured. Their present bliss is the result of their former woe, and recalls the thought of it. They poured out a prayer ; rather, as in the margin, a secret speech , or a low whisper (Kay); comp. Isaiah 29:4 . The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 26:16

Prayer in trouble. "Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them." The "other lords," mentioned in the thirteenth verse, are all impotent in the hour of tribulation. Truly they are dead, as Carlyle says. "These idols of yours are wood; you pour wax and oil on them; the flies stick on them; they are not God, I tell you; they are black wood." So at the Reformation. Speaking of Luther, he says, "The quiet German heart; modest, patient of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 26:16

Prayer forced by trouble. One of the commonest, and often one of the most painful, of human experiences. The scoffer bends the knee when life is placed in sudden peril. The prayerless cry mightily when death stares them in the face. Prayerlessness is only a fair-weather attainment. Like the children who do not seem to care for mother when health abounds, but run to her at once when the head is aching; so we can bravely do without God while the sun shines, but want him when the black... read more

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