Judges 5:31

31. So shall perish Or, so let all thy enemies perish. “The prophetess does not stop to say that all the hopes of Sisera’s mother were dashed to the ground, but she implies this in another abrupt apostrophe, in which she invokes like destruction upon all the enemies of Jehovah. This abruptness makes a far more vivid impression than any language.” Robinson.

As the going forth of the sun A bold and striking figure, which forcibly and truly indicates the rising and growing power of the true Israel of God.

Rest forty years The result of this great victory over Jabin’s host, a victory that has no parallel in the history of the Judges. Joshua’s great battle at Merom seemed to have crushed the northern Canaanites; but from that fearful blow they rallied again, and regained, apparently, nearly all their ancient power. But by this defeat of Sisera’s host the kingdom of Hazor seems to have been utterly ruined, and we hear no more of Canaanitish dominion in northern Palestine. Hence the prophetess conceived this victory as a type of Jehovah’s ultimate triumph over all his foes.

How many of the sacred books have their divine songs! In Genesis (49) we have Israel’s dying blessing, a psalm prophetic of the destinies of his children; in Exodus (15) Moses celebrates the triumph at the Red Sea; in Numbers (23, 24) are the wondrous oracles of Balaam; and in Deuteronomy (32, 33) the last song of Moses. Here in Judges we have Deborah’s song; in 1 Samuel (2) Hannah’s magnificat; and in 2 Samuel (22, 23) David’s songs of triumph over all his foes. In the New Testament (Luke 1:0) we have the Magnificat of Mary and the song of Zacharias; “and all these songs,” says Wordsworth, “are preludes to the new song, the song of Moses and the Lamb, which the saints of the Church glorified, from all nations, will sing at the crystal sea, with the harps of God, (Revelation 14:1-3; Revelation 15:2-4,) when all the enemies of Christ and his Church will have been subdued, and their victory will have been consummated for ever.”