1Poslechněte mě, kdo usilujete o spravedlnost a hledáte Hospodina: Pohleďte na skálu, z níž jste vytesáni, a na hlubokou jámu, z níž jste vykopáni. 2Pohleďte na Abrahama, svého otce, a na Sáru, která vás v bolestech porodila. Neboť byl sám, když jsem ho povolal, požehnal jsem mu a rozmnožil jsem ho. 3Ano, Hospodin potěší Sijón, potěší všechny jeho trosky, jeho pustinu promění v zahradu Eden, jeho step v Hospodinovu zahradu. Bude se v něm nacházet veselí a radost, písně díků a zvuk prozpěvování. 4Věnuj mi pozornost, můj lide, naslouchej mi, můj národe, protože ode mne vyjde zákon a náhle dám své právo za světlo národům. 5Má spravedlnost je blízko, má záchrana vzejde a mé paže budou soudit národy. Na mne očekávají ostrovy a v mou paži skládají naději. 6Pozvedněte své oči k nebesům a pohleďte na zemi dole, neboť nebesa se rozplynou jako kouř a země zvetší jako oděv a její obyvatelé právě tak zemřou; moje záchrana však zůstane navěky a moje spravedlnost nepomine. 7Slyšte mne vy, kdo znáte spravedlnost, lide, v jehož srdci je můj zákon: Nebojte se lidského posměchu, jejich hanobení se neděste. 8Vždyť je sežere mol jako oděv, červi je sežerou jako vlnu, ale má spravedlnost zůstane navěky a má záchrana z generace na generaci. 9Probuď se, probuď, oděj se silou, Hospodinova paže, probuď se jako za dávných dnů, odvěkých generací! Což jsi to nebyla ty, která jsi rozrazila obludu a probodla draka? 10Což jsi to nebyla ty, která jsi vysušila moře, velikou vodní hlubinu a učinila mořské hloubky cestou, aby prošli vykoupení? 11Hospodinovi vykoupení se navrátí, přijdou s výskáním na Sijón a věčná radost bude na jejich hlavách. Dojdou veselí a radosti, žal a vzdychání utečou. 12Já, já jsem váš utěšitel. Kdo jsi ty, že se bojíš člověka, který umírá, a lidského syna, který dopadá jako tráva? 13Zapomínáš na Hospodina, který tě učinil, který roztáhl nebesa a založil zemi, a stále po celý den se chvěješ strachem před zlobou utiskovatele, protože se připravil působit zkázu. A kdepak je nyní ta jeho zloba? 14Spoutaný vězeň bude rychle uvolněn, nezemře v jámě a nebude mít nedostatek chleba. 15Já jsem Hospodin, tvůj Bůh, který vzdouvá moře, až jeho vlny burácejí — jeho jméno je Hospodin zástupů: 16Svá slova jsem vložil do tvých úst a přikryl jsem tě stínem své ruky, abys sázel nebesa a založil zemi a řekl Sijónu: Ty jsi můj lid. 17Probuď se, probuď, povstaň dcero Jeruzaléma, která jsi vypila z Hospodinovy ruky kalich jeho zloby, do dna jsi vypila kalich závrati. 18Není, kdo by ji opatrně vedl, ze všech dětí, které porodila; není, kdo by ji držel za ruku, ze všech synů, které vychovala. 19Tyto dvě rány tě potkaly, kdo ti projeví účast? Zkáza a pohroma, hlad a meč. Kdo tě potěší? 20Tvoji synové leží bezvládně na všech nárožích jako divoká ovce v síti; jsou nasyceni Hospodinovou zlobou, napomenutím tvého Boha. 21Proto nyní slyš toto, zkroušená a opilá, ale ne vínem! 22Toto praví tvůj Panovník Hospodin, tvůj Bůh, který vede při svého lidu: Hle, beru z tvé ruky kalich závrati, kalich své zloby; už ho nebudeš více pít. 23Vložím ho do ruky těm, kdo tě skličovali, kteří říkali tvé duši: Sehni se, ať přejdeme. A pokládala jsi svá záda jako zemi, jako ulici pro ty, kdo procházeli.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE FAITHFUL REMNANT OF ISRAEL TO TRUST IN GOD FOR DELIVERANCE, BOTH FROM THEIR LONG BABYLONIAN EXILE, AND FROM THEIR PRESENT DISPERSION. (Isa. 51:1-23)
me--the God of your fathers.
ye . . . follow after righteousness--the godly portion of the nation;
Ησ. 51:7 shows this (
Παρ. 15:9;
1Τιμ. 6:11). "Ye follow righteousness," seek it therefore from Me, who "bring it near," and that a righteousness "not about to be abolished" (
Ησ. 51:6-
Ησ. 51:7); look to Abraham, your father (
Ησ. 51:2), as a sample of how righteousness before Me is to be obtained; I, the same God who blessed him, will bless you at last (
Ησ. 51:3); therefore trust in Me, and fear not man's opposition (
Ησ. 51:7-
Ησ. 51:8,
Ησ. 51:12-
Ησ. 51:13). The mistake of the Jews, heretofore, has been, not in that they "followed after righteousness," but in that they followed it "by the works of the law," instead of "by faith," as Abraham did (
Ρωμ. 9:31-
Ρωμ. 9:32;
Ρωμ. 10:3-
Ρωμ. 10:4;
Ρωμ. 4:2-
Ρωμ. 4:5).
hole of . . . pit--The idea is not, as it is often quoted, the inculcation of humility, by reminding men of the fallen state from which they have been taken, but that as Abraham, the quarry, as it were (compare
Ησ. 48:1), whence their nation was hewn, had been called out of a strange land to the inheritance of Canaan, and blessed by God, the same God is able to deliver and restore them also (compare
Ματθ. 3:9).
2 alone--translate, "I called him when he was but one" (
Ιεζ. 33:24). The argument is: the same God who had so blessed "one" individual, as to become a mighty nation (
Γέν. 12:1;
Γέν. 22:7), can also increase and bless the small remnant of Israel, both that left in the Babylonish captivity, and that left in the present and latter days (
Ζαχ. 14:2); "the residue" (
Ησ. 13:8-
Ησ. 13:9).
3 For--See for the argument, see on
Ησ. 51:2.
the garden of the Lord--restoration of the primeval paradise (
Γέν. 2:8;
Ιεζ. 28:13;
Αποκ. 2:7).
melody--Hebrew, "psalm." God's praises shall again be heard.
4 my people--the Jews. This reading is better than that of GESENIUS: "O peoples . . . nations," namely, the Gentiles. The Jews are called on to hear and rejoice in the extension of the true religion to the nations; for, at the first preaching of the Gospel, as in the final age to come, it was from Jerusalem that the gospel law was, and is, to go forth (
Ησ. 2:3).
law . . . judgment--the gospel dispensation and institutions (
Ησ. 42:1, "judgment").
make . . . to rest--establish firmly; found.
light, &c.-- (
Ησ. 42:6).
5 righteousness . . . near--that is, faithful fulfilment of the promised deliverance, answering to "salvation" in the parallel clause (
Ησ. 46:13;
Ησ. 56:1;
Ρωμ. 10:8-
Ρωμ. 10:9). Ye follow after "righteousness"; seek it therefore, from Me, and you will not have far to go for it (
Ησ. 51:1).
arms--put for Himself; I by My might.
judge-- (
Ησ. 2:3-
Ησ. 2:4;
Ψαλ. 98:9).
isles, &c.-- (
Ησ. 60:9).
arm-- (
Ρωμ. 1:16), "the power of God unto (the Gentiles as well as the Jews) salvation."
6 (
Ησ. 40:6,
Ησ. 40:8;
Ψαλ. 102:26;
Εβρ. 1:11-
Εβρ. 1:12).
vanish away--literally, "shall be torn asunder," as a garment [MAURER]; which accords with the context.
in like manner--But GESENIUS, "Like a gnat"; like the smallest and vilest insect. JEROME translates, as English Version, and infers that "in like manner" as man, the heavens (that is, the sky) and earth are not to be annihilated, but changed for the better (
Ησ. 65:17).
righteousness--My faithfully fulfilled promise (see on
Ησ. 51:5).
7 know righteousness--(See on
Ησ. 51:1).
8 (See on
Ησ. 50:9;
Ιώβ 4:18-
Ιώβ 4:20). Not that the moth eats men up, but they shall be destroyed by as insignificant instrumentality as the moth that eats a garment.
9 Impassioned prayer of the exiled Jews.
ancient days-- (
Ψαλ. 44:1).
Rahab--poetical name for Egypt (see on
Ησ. 30:7).
dragon--Hebrew, tannin. The crocodile, an emblem of Egypt, as represented on coins struck after the conquest of Egypt by Augustus; or rather here, "its king," Pharaoh (see on
Ησ. 27:1;
Ψαλ. 74:13-
Ψαλ. 74:14;
Ιεζ. 32:2, Margin;
Ιεζ. 29:3).
10 it--the arm.
Art not Thou the same Almighty power that . . . ? dried the sea--the Red Sea (
Ησ. 43:16;
Έξ. 14:21).
11 (
Ησ. 35:10).
Therefore--assurance of faith; or else the answer of Jehovah corresponding to their prayer. As surely as God redeemed Israel out of Egypt, He shall redeem them from Babylon, both the literal in the age following, and mystical in the last ages (
Αποκ. 18:20-
Αποκ. 18:21). There shall be a second exodus (
Ησ. 11:11-
Ησ. 11:16;
Ησ. 27:12-
Ησ. 27:13).
singing--image from the custom of singing on a journey when a caravan is passing along the extended plains in the East.
everlasting joy-- (
Ιούδ. 1:24).
sorrow . . . flee away-- (
Αποκ. 21:4).
12 comforteth-- (
Ησ. 51:3;
Ησ. 40:1).
thou--Zion.
son of man--frail and dying as his parent Adam.
be made as grass--wither as grass (
Ησ. 40:6-
Ησ. 40:7).
13 (
Ησ. 40:12,
Ησ. 40:26,
Ησ. 40:28), the same argument of comfort drawn from the omnipotence of the Creator.
as if . . . ready, &c.--literally, "when he directs," namely, his arrow, to destroy (
Ψαλ. 21:12;
Ψαλ. 7:13;
Ψαλ. 11:2) [MAURER].
14 captive exile--literally, one bowed down as a captive (
Ησ. 10:4) [MAURER]. The scene is primarily Babylon, and the time near the close of the captivity. Secondarily, and antitypically, the mystical Babylon, the last enemy of Israel and the Church, in which they have long suffered, but from which they are to be gloriously delivered.
pit--such as were many of the ancient dungeons (compare
Ιερ. 38:6,
Ιερ. 38:11,
Ιερ. 38:13;
Γέν. 37:20).
nor . . . bread . . . fail-- (
Ησ. 33:16;
Ιερ. 37:21).
15 divided . . . sea--the Red Sea. The same Hebrew word as "make to rest" (
Ησ. 51:4). Rather, "that terrify the sea," that is, restrain it by My rebuke, "when its waves roar" [GESENIUS]. The Hebrew favors MAURER, "that terrify the sea so that the waves roar." The sense favors GESENIUS (
Ιερ. 5:22;
Ιερ. 31:35), or English Version (
Ησ. 51:9-
Ησ. 51:10, which favors the special reference to the exodus from Egypt).
16 Addressed to Israel, embodied in "the servant of Jehovah" (
Ησ. 42:1), Messiah, its ideal and representative Head, through whom the elect remnant is to be restored.
put my words in thy mouth--true of Israel, the depository of true religion, but fully realized only in Israel's Head and antitype, Messiah (
Ησ. 49:2;
Ησ. 50:4-
Ησ. 50:5;
Ησ. 59:21;
Δευτ. 18:18;
Ιωάν. 3:34).
covered . . . in . . . shadow of . . . hand--protected thee (see on
Ησ. 49:2).
plant--rather, "fix" as a tabernacle; so it ought to be rendered (
Δαν. 11:45). The "new creation," now going on in the spiritual world by the Gospel (
Εφεσ. 2:10), and hereafter to be extended to the visible world, is meant (
Ησ. 65:17;
Ησ. 66:22; compare
Ησ. 13:13;
2Πέτ. 3:10-13).
Zion--Its restoration is a leading part in the new creation to come (
Ησ. 65:17,
Ησ. 65:19).
17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, &c.-- (
Ησ. 52:1).
drunk--Jehovah's wrath is compared to an intoxicating draught because it confounds the sufferer under it, and makes him fall (
Ιώβ 21:20;
Ψαλ. 60:3;
Ψαλ. 75:8;
Ιερ. 25:15-
Ιερ. 25:16;
Ιερ. 49:12;
Ζαχ. 12:2;
Αποκ. 14:10); ("poured out without mixture"; rather, "the pure wine juice mixed with intoxicating drugs").
of trembling--which produced trembling or intoxication.
wrung . . . out--drained the last drop out; the dregs were the sediments from various substances, as honey, dates, and drugs, put into the wine to increase the strength and sweetness.
18 Following up the image in
Ησ. 51:17, intoxicated and confused by the cup of God's anger, she has none to guide her in her helpless state; she has not yet awakened out of the sleep caused by that draught. This cannot apply to the Babylonish captivity; for in it they had Ezekiel and Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah, as "guides," and soon awoke out of that sleep; but it applies to the Jews now, and will be still more applicable in their coming oppression by Antichrist.
19 two--classes of evils, for he enumerates four, namely, desolation and destruction to the land and state; famine and the sword to the people.
who shall be sorry for thee--so as to give thee effectual relief: as the parallel clause, "By whom shall I comfort thee?" shows (
Θρ. 2:11-
Θρ. 2:13).
20 head of all . . . streets-- (
Θρ. 2:19;
Θρ. 4:1).
wild bull--rather, "oryx" [JEROME], or gazelle [GESENIUS], or wild goat [BOCHART]; commonly in the East taken in a net, of a wide sweep, into which the beasts were hunted together. The streets of cities in the East often have gates, which are closed at night; a person wishing to escape would be stopped by them and caught, as a wild animal in a net.
21 drunken . . . not with wine-- (
Ησ. 29:9; compare
Ησ. 51:17,
Ησ. 51:20, here;
Θρ. 3:15).
22 pleadeth . . . cause-- (
Ψαλ. 35:1;
Ιερ. 50:34;
Μιχ. 7:9).
no more drink it-- (
Ησ. 54:7-
Ησ. 54:9). This cannot apply to Israel after the return from Babylon, but only to them after their final restoration.
23 (
Ησ. 49:26;
Ιερ. 25:15-
Ιερ. 25:29;
Ζαχ. 12:2).
Bow down that . . . go over--Conquerors often literally trod on the necks of conquered kings, as Sapor of Persia did to the Roman emperor Valerian (
Ιησ. 10:24;
Ψαλ. 18:40;
Ψαλ. 66:11-
Ψαλ. 66:12).
Zion long in bondage (
Ησ. 51:17-
Ησ. 51:20) is called to put on beautiful garments appropriate to its future prosperity.