And you shall say in that day: Praise ye the Lord, and call upon his name: make his works known among the people: remember that his name is high.

“"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."”

“This is the second part of this evangelical song, and to the same purport with the former; there believers stir up themselves to praise God, here they invite and encourage one another to do it, and are contriving to spread his praise and draw in others to join with them in it. Observe, I. Who are here called upon to praise God - the inhabitants of Zion and Jerusalem, whom God had in a particular manner protected from Sennacherib's violence, Isa 12:6. Those that have received distinguishing favours from God ought to be most forward and zealous in praising him. The gospel church is Zion. Christ is Zion's King. Those that have a place and a name in the church should lay out themselves to diffuse the knowledge of Christ and to bring many to him. Thou inhabitress of Zion; the word is feminine. Let the weaker sex be strong in the Lord, and out of their mouth praise shall be perfected. II. How they must praise the Lord. 1. By prayer: Call upon his name. As giving thanks for former mercy is a decent way of begging further mercy, so begging further mercy is graciously accepted as a thankful acknowledgment of the mercies we have received. In calling upon God's name we give unto him some of the glory that is due to his name as our powerful and bountiful benefactor. 2. By preaching and writing. We must not only speak to God, but speak to others concerning him, not only call upon his name, but (as the margin reads it) proclaim his name; let others know something more from us than they did before concerning God, and those things whereby he has made himself known. Declare his doings, his counsels (so some read it); the work of redemption is according to the counsel of his will, and in that and other wonderful works that he has done we must take notice of his thoughts which are to us-ward, Psa 40:5. Declare these among the people, among the heathen, that they may be brought into communion with Israel and the God of Israel. When the apostles preached the gospel to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, then this scripture was fulfilled, that his doings should be declared among the people and that what he has done should be known in all the earth. 3. By a holy exultation and transport of joy: "Cry out and shout; welcome the gospel to yourselves and publish it to others with huzzas and loud acclamations, as those that shout for victory (Exo 32:18) or for the coronation of a king," Num 23:21. III. For what they must praise the Lord. 1. Because he has glorified himself. Remember it yourselves, and make mention of it to others, that his name is exalted, has become more illustrious and more conspicuous; in this every good man rejoices. 2. Because he has magnified his people: He has done excellent things for them, which make them look great and considerable. 3. Because he is, and will be, great among them: Great is the Holy One, for he is glorious in holiness; therefore great, because holy. True goodness is true greatness. He is great as the Holy One of Israel, and in the midst of them, praised by them (Psa 76:1), manifesting himself among them, and appearing gloriously in their behalf. It is the honour and happiness of Israel that the God who is in covenant with them, and in the midst of them, is infinitely great.”

“In that day shall ye say, praise the Lord,.... On account of his being and perfections, for blessings received from him, especially spiritual ones; and particularly such as are before mentioned, fulness of grace in him, strength and salvation by him, a view of interest in him as a Saviour, and divine comforts communicated from him; which is done by giving him the glory of them, and thanks for them. This is a work very proper for Gospel times; it always was a duty, and there was ever reason for it under the former dispensation, and much more under the present one; and there will be still more reason for it in the latter day here referred to, when antichrist will be destroyed, the kingdom of Christ will be enlarged, and his church will be in a very glorious state and condition, her walls will be salvation, and her gates praise; when the saints will be stirring up one another to this service, and engaging in it with all readiness and cheerfulness; see Rev 11:15, call upon his name: which takes in the whole of religions worship, of which Christ is the object, being the true Jehovah; and particularly prayer, in which his name is invoked together with faith in him, and expressions of affection to his name; which is precious to believers, and is as ointment poured out: declare his doings among the people; not merely his works of creation, in which he was equally concerned with his divine Father; nor so much his miracles which he wrought when on earth, in proof of his deity and Messiahship, and in confirmation of his doctrine; but his acts of obedience and righteousness, which were perfect; and his bearing the sins of his people, and the punishment due to them; and so fulfilled the whole law, and hereby accomplished the great work of redemption and salvation; which, according to his orders, have been published among the Gentiles, for their good, and his glory: make mention that his name is exalted; that is, he himself, who has a name given him above every name; for having obeyed, suffered, and died in the room of his people, he is by his Father, according to promise, exalted, by raising him from the dead, receiving him into heaven, placing him at his right hand, giving him all power in heaven and in earth, and causing angels, authorities, principalities, and powers, to be subject to him; all which is to be made mention of, to the honour of his name: or else the sense is, to speak of him, to make mention of his name, of his person, of his offices, of his grace and salvation, that he may be exalted in each of them by his people; for he is, and ought to be, exalted in their hearts, and with their lips, since he is above all in the excellency of his person, and is their only Saviour and Redeemer, Head and Husband; and so he will be exalted more abundantly in the latter day. See Gill on Isa 2:11.”