You shall draw waters with joy out of the saviour’s fountains:

“And who is this strong man, except him of whom the Lord says in the Gospel; No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, unless he first bind the strong man. The Lord, therefore, clave the fountains and the torrents, when He spread in the hearts of His Apostles the streams of truth. Of whom it is said again by another Prophet; With joy shall ye draw water from the fountains of the Saviour. For we go in our thirst to their teaching, that we may bring back the pitcher of our hearts full of truth. But He dried the rivers of Ethan by the springing forth of His own fountains, when He withered the doctrine of the mighty and malignant spirit by displaying the ray of His own truth.”

“"I will give thanks": here is set down a giving of thanks for a benefit received. This indeed the prophet already saw in the prophetic spirit, and promised to the people. Hence he does three things. First, he sings a canticle; second, he promises the people a benefit, "you shall draw"; third, he foretells that the people will sing, "and you shall say." Now they were then weighed down by three evils: namely, for past faults, by the divine fury; for future punishments, by fear of enemies; for present evils, by sorrow of heart. Against the first he calls to mind the mercy of God; and so he says: "I will give thanks to you, I, Lord," "from now," that is, I will praise, because [this is the praise] of a people not yet seeing the benefit for which they might give thanks, concerning this which follows: "for," first, justly, "you were angry with me," for my sins, "and your fury was turned," into mercy, "and you have consoled me," as to the effect of mercy (the past tense put for the future): and this in the return of the people from Babylon, and especially in the consolation wrought through Christ. Zach. 8: "As I thought to afflict you, when your fathers had provoked me to wrath, says the Lord." Against the second he confesses trust in God: "behold, God is my savior," freeing the people from the servitude of Babylon, or more truly, who saves his people. Matth. 1: "For he himself will save his people from their sins." Jerem. 30: "Do not fear, my servant Jacob, says the Lord, nor be dismayed, Israel, for behold, I will save you from a far land." Against the third, the power of divine strength: "my strength," by which I stand, "and my praise," which I praise, idols having been abandoned. Psal. 17: "I will love you, Lord, my strength." "You shall draw." Here he promises the benefit. "Waters," of consolation, refreshing against the heat of tribulation. "And you shall say." Here he also foretells that the people will sing, after the benefit has been received: and it contains a mutual exhortation of the people to divine praise. Now the exhortation is set down as to three things: to the confession of divine praise, to the giving of thanks: "sing to the Lord"; to common exultation: "exult." Concerning the first, four things are set down. For either we confess through faith: "confess to the Lord." Roman. 10: "With the heart it is believed unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Or we invoke through prayer, "call upon." Below, 55: "Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near." Or it is announced through preaching: "make known his devisings," for he has devised many things for saving. Jer. 31: "Hear the word of the Lord, you nations, and announce it in the islands that are far off." Or it is called to mind through continual meditation, "remember." Psal. 104: "Remember his wonderful works." "Sing." Here he exhorts to the giving of thanks. And first, that they give thanks to God. "Sing to the Lord," "for he has done magnificently," in freeing us. Psalm. 97: "Sing to him a new song, for he has done marvelous things." Second, that it be announced to the world, "announce." Tob. 12: "Bless the God of heaven, and confess to him before all the living." "Exult." Here is set down the exhortation to exultation: and first, that there be joy in the heart, "exult"; second, that there be jubilation in the mouth, "praise"; third, the reason for both is given, "for great." Below, 35: "It shall exult, rejoicing and praising." It should be noted, on that word, "you shall draw waters," that water is, first, of doctrine. Below, 55: "All you who thirst, come to the waters." Second, of grace. Joan. 7: "He who believes in me, rivers of living water shall flow from his belly." Third, of baptismal cleanness. Joan. 3: "Unless one be reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." Likewise note, that water is to be drawn from the fountain: first, of divine wisdom. Eccl. 1: "The fountain of wisdom is the word of God on high." Second, of eternal life. Jer. 2: "They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water." Third, of the body of Christ. Zach. 13: "In that day there shall be a fountain lying open to the house of David." Note, on that word, "his devisings," that Christ devised, first, a brief word of salvation. Baruch 3: "He found out the whole way of knowledge, and gave it to Jacob his servant, and to Israel his beloved." Second, a new manner of saving. Job 33: "I have found wherein I may be propitious to him." Third, the people to be saved. Luc. 15: "Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost." Note, on that word, "in your midst, the Holy One of Israel," that Christ is in the midst: first, as a light for illuminating. Eccl. 50: "As the morning star in the midst of a cloud." Second, as a mediator for reconciling. Luc., last chapter: "Jesus stood in the midst of the disciples, and said to them, Peace to you." Third, as a minister for distributing. Luc. 22: "But I am in the midst of you as one who serves."”

“Therefore with joy shall ye draw water,.... These words are either an exhortation to others, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, "draw ye"; and so likewise an encouragement to them by her example, or a prophecy that they should do this; that is, apply to Christ for grace, and receive it from him: for by "water" is meant grace, which is compared to it, because it is softening, purifying, fructifying, cooling, and refreshing, and extinguishes thirst; and this is to be "drawn", it is to be come at, though the well in which it is be deep, and not in the reach of everyone; the bucket is faith that it is drawn with, and this is the gift of God; and it is in the exercise of this grace, which requires diligence, strength, and labour, that saints receive from Christ, and grace for grace; and this is exercised in the use of means, by prayer, reading of the Scriptures, and attendance on the word and ordinances, by which faith draws hard, and receives much, and, when it does, it is attended "with joy": salvation itself is received with joy, and so is the Saviour; as also a justifying righteousness, and pardoning grace, and likewise every supply of grace; which joy is of a spiritual kind, is in a way of believing, what a stranger intermeddles not with, and is unspeakable and full of glory: out of the wells of salvation, or "fountains"; as all the three Persons are; Jehovah the Father, as he is called "the fountain of living water", Jer 2:13 so he is the fountain of salvation; it springs from him, from his everlasting love, his eternal purposes, his infinite wisdom, his sure and unalterable covenant, his free grace in the mission of his Son; and he himself is the God of grace, from whence it all comes, and every supply of it. The Spirit and his grace are called a "well of living water", Joh 4:14 and he also is a well of salvation; it is he that convinces men of their need of it, that brings near this salvation to them, and shows them their interest in it, and bears witness to it, and is the earnest and pledge of it; and he is the author of all that grace which makes them meet for it, and from whom are all the supplies of it by the way. But more especially Christ is meant, who is the "fountain of gardens, and well of living water", Sol 4:15 in whom salvation is, and in no other: the words may be rendered, "the wells" or "fountains of the Saviour" (r), yea, of Jesus; and which are no other than the fulness of grace in him: the phrase denotes the abundance of grace in Christ, much of which is given out in conversion; an abundance of it is received with the free gift of righteousness for justification; and a large measure of it in the pardon of sins, and in all the after supplies, through the wilderness of this world, till the saints come to glory; and which is vouchsafed to a great number, to all the elect angels and elect men, to all the churches, and the members thereof, in all ages; and this always has been and ever will be communicating to them. The Targum is, "and ye shall receive a new doctrine from the chosen, the righteous;'' or of the righteous; which is true of the doctrine of the Gospel, received by the hands of chosen men, the apostles of Christ. The Jews (s) make use of this passage, in confirmation of the ceremony of drawing of water at the feast of tabernacles; and say (t) it signifies the drawing of the Holy Ghost; that is, his grace. (r) "de fontibus Salvatoris", V. L.; Vatablus. (s) T. Bab. Succa, fol. 48. 2. & 50. 2. (t) Bereshit Rabba, sect. 70. fol. 62. 3. T. Hieros. Succa, fol. 55. 1.”

“draw water . . . salvation--an expressive image in a hot country. On the last day of the feast of tabernacles the Jews used to bring water in a golden pitcher from the fountain of Siloam, and pour it, mingled with wine, on the sacrifice on the altar, with great rejoicing. This is the allusion in Jesus' words on "the last day of the feast" (Joh 7:2, Joh 7:37-39). The pouring out of water indicated repentance (Sa1 7:6; compare, as to the Jews' repentance hereafter, Zac 12:10). There shall be a latter outpouring of the Spirit like the former one on pentecost (Joe 2:23). wells--not mere streams, which may run dry, but ever-flowing fountains (Joh 4:14; Joh 7:38), "Out of his belly (that is, in and from himself)--living water" (Isa 42:18; Psa 84:6; Zac 13:1; Rev 7:17).”

“Isa 12:3, again, contains a prophetic promise, which points back to the commencement of Isa 12:1 : "And with rapture ye will draw water out of the wells of salvation." Just as Israel was miraculously supplied with water in the desert, so will the God of salvation, who has become your salvation, open many and manifold sources of salvation for you (מעיני as it is pointed here, instead of מעיני, (Note: The root is the same as, for example, in יעלתסּו (they rejoice) and יעלתסּו; here, however, it is more striking, because the singular is written מעין, and not מעין. At the same time, it is evident that the connecting sound ay was rather preferred than avoided, as Ewald maintains - as we may see, for example, from the repeated aychi in Ps 103.)) from which ye may draw with and according to your heart's delight. This water of salvation, then, forms both the material for, and instigation to, new songs of praise; and Isa 12:4-6 therefore continue in the strain of a psalm: "And ye will say in that day, Praise Jehovah, proclaim His name, make known His doings among the nations, boast that His name is exalted. Harp to Jehovah; for He has displayed majesty: let this be known in all lands. Shout and be jubilant, O inhabitants of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee." The first song of six lines is here followed by a second of seven lines: a prophetic word of promise, inserted between them, separates the one from the other. This second also commences with the well-known tones of a psalm (compare especially Psa 105:1; Ch1 16:8). The phrase, "Call upon the name of Jehovah," signifies, Make the name of Jehovah the medium of invocation (Ges. 138, Anm. 3*), i.e., invoke it, or, as here, call it out. Gē'ūth is high, towering dignity; here it is used of God, as in Isa 26:10, with ‛âsâh: to prove it practically, just as with lābēsh in Psa 93:1, to show one's self openly therein. Instead of the Chethib meyudda‛ath in Isa 12:5, the keri substitutes the hophal form mūda‛ath, probably because meyuddâ‛, according to the standing usage of speech, denotes one well known, or intimate; the passive of the hophal is certainly the more suitable. According to the preceding appeals, the words are to be understood as expressing a desire, that the glorious self-attestation of the God of salvation might be brought to the consciousness of the whole of the inhabitants of the earth, i.e., of all mankind. When God redeems His people, He has the salvation of all the nations in view. It is the knowledge of the Holy One of Israel, made known through the word of proclamation, that brings salvation to them all. How well may the church on Zion rejoice, to have such a God dwelling in the midst of it! He is great as the giver or promises, and great in fulfilling them; great in grace, and great in judgment; great in all His saving acts which spread from Israel to all mankind. Thus does this second psalm of the redeemed nation close, and with it the book of Immanuel.”