Isaiah 64:9-12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 64:6-12

As we have the Lamentations of Jeremiah, so here we have the Lamentations of Isaiah; the subject of both is the same?the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans and the sin of Israel that brought that destruction?only with this difference, Isaiah sees it at a distance and laments it by the Spirit of prophecy, Jeremiah saw it accomplished. In these verses, I. The people of God in their affliction confess and bewail their sins, thereby justifying God in their afflictions, owning themselves... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 64:9

Be not wroth very sore, O Lord ,.... They knew not how to deprecate the displeasure of God entirely; having sinned so greatly against him, they were sensible they deserved his wrath; but entreat it might not be hot and very vehement, and carried to the highest pitch, which would be intolerable: neither remember iniquity for ever ; to afflict and punish for it, but forgive it, for not to remember sin is to forgive it; and not inflict the deserved punishment of it, but take off and remove... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 64:10

Thy holy cities are a wilderness ,.... Meaning either Zion, the city of David, and Jerusalem; the one called the upper, the other the lower city; now uninhabited, and a mere wilderness: or else the other cities of Judea, in which were formerly synagogues for religious service, and in which dwelt many godly families where the worship of God was kept up; but now a desert, at least quite devoid of true religion and godliness. Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation ; which are either... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 64:11

Our holy and our beautiful house ,.... Meaning the temple, the house of God, as Aben Ezra: called "holy", because dedicated to holy uses; where the holy sacrifices were offered up, the holy service of God performed; and where the holy God granted his presence, and where were the symbols of it: and "beautiful", in its building, as the first temple was that was built by Solomon; but here the second temple is meant, built by Zerubbabel, which being repaired and beautified by Herod, was a very... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 64:12

Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Lord ?.... From delivering us out of our troubles and miseries, and taking vengeance on our enemies, and showing thy zeal for thine own glory; or, as Kimchi paraphrases it, "how canst thou contain thyself for these things, and not have mercy?' how canst thou bear to see Judea, and all its cities, a wilderness; Jerusalem, and the temple of it, in ruins? wilt thou hold thy peace? or, "be silent"; and not plead thine own cause, and the cause... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 64:9

Neither remember iniquity - For תזכר לעד laad tizcor , one of my MSS. has תקצף לעד laad tiktsoph , "be not angry," as in the preceding clause. This has been partially obliterated, and תזכר tizcor , written in the margin by a later hand: but this MS. abounds with words of this kind, all altered by later hands. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 64:1-12

ISRAEL 'S PRAYER CONTINUED AND CONCLUDED . Not content with praying God to look upon them once more with favour ( Isaiah 63:15 ), Israel now asks for a theophany, or manifestation of the Divine Presence, such as they have experienced in the times of old, and such as shall suffice to strike terror into the hearts of their enemies ( Isaiah 64:1-4 ). With profound humility confessing their manifold and grievous iniquities, they beseech God once more, as their Father and Maker,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 64:5-11

The cry of humiliation and of hope. I. THE CONFESSION . "Woe are we, for we are unclean!" Like the leper, dwelling alone without the camp (Le 13:44-46), so is the people; as he is cut off from the society of men, so they from the converse of God; or as something ceremonially polluted and defiled (Le Isaiah 5:2 ; Deuteronomy 14:19 ), or morally defiled ( Job 14:4 ). The language carries a feeling of intense abhorrence. Under another figure, their penal offences have "carried... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 64:8-12

Pleas for mercy. Israel had three main grounds on which they could rely in pleading to God for mercy. I. GOD WAS THEIR MAKER . The framer of a work cannot see without dissatisfaction the destruction of his work, or its deterioration, or its depravation to purposes lower. than those intended for it. This dissatisfaction is the greater, the more considerable the labour and the thought that has been expended upon the work, the greater the care that has been taken of it, the longer... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 64:8-12

A twofold plea. The prophet addresses himself to God in earnest prayer for Divine interposition, and he uses a twofold plea. I. THE INTIMACY AND FULNESS OF GOD 'S RELATIONSHIP . 1 . God was their Creator. He made them as truly as the potter fashions the clay; they were his workmanship ( Isaiah 64:8 ). 2 . God was their Father. He had cared for them and bestowed on them his parental love; would he abandon his own children? 3 . God was their Redeemer. He... read more

Group of Brands