Give praise, O ye heavens, and rejoice, O earth, ye mountains, give praise with jubilation: because the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy on his poor ones.

“Hear, O islands, etc. In this part he pursues the order of the liberation more specifically; and concerning this he does two things. First the people confesses the benefits received; second it receives the promise of things to come, there, I said: in vain, etc. Concerning the first, four benefits are confessed. First, the privilege of the divine election; and it continues why the prophet had above enjoined the people, that they should announce it. Whence immediately is subjoined the voice of the people announcing, and saying, Hear. From the womb, choosing me in the fathers themselves. Ps. 21: From the womb of my mother, God, etc. Second, the efficacy of prayer: and he set the mouth, prayer, as a sword, penetrating even to the ears of God and the depths of his mercy, Eph. ult.: the sword of the spirit, etc. Third, the help of divine protection: in the shadow, that is, under the protection of his power, as an archer hides a chosen arrow, to preserve it. Ps. 16: under the shadow of thy wings, etc.; Ps. 26: he hath hidden me in his tabernacle, etc. Fourth, the glory of the divine power: and he said to me: in thee will I glory; through the great things shown in thee I will appear glorious. Above, 43: every one that calleth upon my name, etc. According to others, this is the voice of Cyrus, whose name was foretold by Isaiah above, 45, before he was born; whose threatening words were as a sword, and he was protected lest his grandfather should kill him, and was kept as a chosen arrow for the appointed time; to whom it was announced that the people of Israel was the servant of God. Otherwise it is expounded of Christ; whose name was foretold by the Angel; the word of preaching, a sword piercing hearts; protected, on account of the weakness of the flesh, by the power of the divinity, and chosen among all for the fulfilling of the salvation of the human race. And he is called Israel, because he was born of the people of Israel according to the flesh. I said: here the Lord promises future benefits: and first he promises the prophet Isaiah exaltation; second, to the people liberation, there, thus saith the Lord the redeemer, etc. Concerning the first, two things. First is set down the allegation of the prophet, setting forth his labor in preaching, although through the fault of the hearers no fruit followed: and he concludes: therefore my judgment, on my behalf, is with the Lord, before him, and my work, as pleasing to him. Jer. 6: the founder hath melted in vain, etc. Second, he sets down God's response: and now thus saith the Lord: and first is signified the acceptance of the allegation, that I may bring back, as if to say: choosing me from the womb of my mother for this, that I might recall his people to him. And yet Israel shall not altogether be gathered, to him through my preaching. And yet I am glorified, etc.; Habac. 3: God, the Lord, is my strength, etc. Second, the response itself is set down, and he said: it is a small thing, as if to say: so greatly will I honor thy ministry that not only among the Jews, but among all the nations, my salvation shall be announced through thee. Rom. 3: is he the God of the Jews only? etc. This too is plainly expounded of Christ, who by his preaching and the consummation of his death made little fruit among the Jews, but enlightened and saved the nations. Likewise also of Cyrus, though more forcedly, who through his kindnesses, according to the Lord's intention, recalled the people to the worship of God, and yet did not succeed, to whom dominion over many nations was given by God. Thus saith the Lord the redeemer, etc. Here he promises liberation: and concerning this he does two things. First he promises liberation; second he excludes their doubt, there, and Sion said, etc. Concerning the first, three things. First, the things preceding liberation, namely the veneration of the Jews, which was the cause of the liberation; recalling their former contempt: contemptible, on account of the people's weakness; abominable, on account of the singularity of their worship; a servant, on account of subjection to diverse nations, above, 18: to a nation rent asunder, etc.; and he sets down the veneration itself: kings shall see the great things I will show for thee, and shall adore, as, according to the letter, Nabuchodonosor, Dan. 2, and Cyrus, and his other princes honored Esdras. Another preamble is the exaltation of the liberating king, namely Cyrus: in an acceptable time, and he does not determine the time of the exaltation: acceptable, when it shall please me to save my people, I have heard, exalting thee into a kingdom, according to thy desire, and the fruit of the exaltation: and I have preserved, etc., for the fulfilling of the covenant of my people. Be revealed, that is, be enlightened. Or of Christ, who in his passion was despised, and judged as it were a servant. Below, 53: we saw him despised, etc., but afterward, according to the letter, adored by kings. Ps. 71: all kings shall adore him, etc.; in an acceptable time, namely the time of grace. 2 Cor. 6: behold, now is the time, etc. Second, he sets down the things consequent upon the liberation, promising to the liberated an abundance of good things: they shall feed in the ways; that is, they shall enjoy consolations as abundantly as sheep enjoy pastures, when they are found even in the way, beyond the usual. Ezech. 34: they shall rest in the grass, etc.; as to the absence of evils, both of want, he shall not hunger, etc., and of harm inflicted, the heat, of tribulation; and the sun, the tyrant causing it. Ps. 120: the sun shall not burn by day, etc.; and he assigns the cause of both. Because he that is merciful, etc.; of waters, of consolations. Ps. 22: the Lord ruleth me. Third, he promises the liberation itself, setting down the preparation of the ways: and I will make all the mountains; that is, the princes will help you to return. Above, 40: every valley shall be filled, etc.; setting down also the return of the captives: behold these from afar, from the east, the sea, the west. Jer. 31: I will bring them from the north, etc.; he sets down also the giving of thanks: praise, ye heavens, etc.; Ps. 68: let the heavens praise him, etc. And Sion said, etc. Here he excludes their doubt: and first that which arose from the divine indignation; second that which arose from their dejection, there, and thou shalt say in the heart, etc.; third that which arose from the power of the enemies, there, shall it be taken away, etc. Concerning the first, two things. First he sets down the doubt: hath forsaken, without help; and therefore I cannot hope for liberation. Baruch 4: I am forsaken, etc.; second he excludes it by the likeness of a mother: is it possible, etc.; Jer. 31: if a son honorable, etc.; third he applies the promise concerning the restoration of the city: and first as to the rebuilding of the walls, setting down the divine purpose: behold, in my hands; as if to say: thus I hold thee in memory, as one who writes, or makes some sign on his hand, that he may be mindful of some thing. Thy walls; as if to say, now I see the rebuilding of thy walls. Job 37: he hideth in the hands, etc.; Ps. 89: a thousand years before the eyes, etc.; and the manner of the fulfillment: builders have come, that is, rebuilders, namely Zorobabel, and Jesus, and others, already in my eyes; the scatterers, the Chaldeans. Zach. 4: the hands of Zorobabel, etc. Second, as to the habitation of men: and concerning this he does three things. First, the gathering together of the citizens: lift up round about, etc.; Baruch 4: look about, Jerusalem, etc. Second, the re-inhabiting of the city, showing that it shall be inhabited. As I live, the manner of an oath; as with an ornament — as a bride with garments, so the city is adorned with citizens. Below, 61: he hath clothed me with the garment of salvation, etc.; showing that it shall be filled with inhabitants: for the desert places, as to inhabitants, the solitudes, as to the tillers, the ruins, as to the destroyed walls. Zach. 2: it shall be inhabited without a wall, etc.; he shows also that it shall be emptied of enemies: and far, etc. Third, he foretells the multitude of the inhabitants: still shall the children of sterility say, that is, those who were born when thou didst believe thyself barren, emptied of inhabitants. Below, 54: enlarge the place of the tent, etc. And thou shalt say in the heart, etc. Here he excludes the second doubt: and first he sets down the wonder, and thou shalt say, out of wonder: barren, because there were not in me men who could beget children; destitute, of divine help. Below, 66: who hath ever heard such, etc. Second he excludes the doubt, setting down the manner of the multitude of the inhabitants: thus saith the Lord: as to four things. First, as to the divine inspiration: behold I will lift up the hand, as it were making a sign; above, 11: he shall lift up a sign among the nations, etc. Second, as to the honorable bringing back: and they shall bring in the arms, in which is signified the help which they had from the nations. Kings, foster-fathers, providing for thee in necessities. Baruch 5: the Lord will bring them to thee, etc. Third, as to the exaltation of the liberated: with the face to the earth, this especially at the time of the Machabees; below, 40: they shall come to thee bowed down, etc. Fourth, he assigns the reason for this: and thou shalt know that I, etc.; Ps. 70: in thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me not be confounded, etc. Shall it be taken away. Here he excludes the third doubt: and first he sets it down, from the strong, Nabuchodonosor; Matth. 12: or how can one enter, etc. Second he excludes it: for thus he saith, first setting down the benefit of the liberation: the captivity, namely of the Jews. Job 29: I broke the jaws of the wicked one, etc.; second, the manner of the liberation, setting down the destruction of the enemies. But them, namely the Chaldeans, they judged, unjustly. Soph. 3: I will kill, etc.; and he sets down the determination of the punishment: and I will feed: either on account of dissension, as above, 9: every man the flesh of the arm, etc., or on account of the multitude of the dead, while the mouth of one fell upon the blood of another, as if he would drink: or on account of famine. Third, he sets down the fruit of the liberation: and all flesh shall know, etc.; above, 40: all flesh shall see, etc.”

“The scope of these verses is to show that the return of the people of God out of their captivity, and the eternal redemption to be wrought out by Christ (of which that was a type), would be great occasions of joy to the church and great proofs of the tender care God has of the church. I. Nothing can furnish us with better matter for songs of praise and thanksgiving, Isa 49:13. Let the whole creation join with us in songs of joy, for it shares with us in the benefits of the redemption, and all they can contribute to this sacred melody is little enough in return for such inestimable favours, Psa 96:11. Let there be joy in heaven, and let the angels of God celebrate the praises of the great Redeemer; let the earth and the mountains, particularly the great ones of the earth, be joyful, and break forth into singing, for the earnest expectation of the creature that waits for the glorious liberty of the children of God (Rom 8:19, Rom 8:21) shall now be abundantly answered. God's people are the blessings and ornaments of the world, and therefore let there be universal joy, for God has comforted his people that were in sorrow and he will have mercy upon the afflicted because of his compassion, upon his afflicted because of his covenant. II. Nothing can furnish us with more convincing arguments to prove the most tender and affectionate concern God has for his church, and her interests and comforts. 1. The troubles of the church have given some occasion to question God's care and concern for it, Isa 49:14. Zion, in distress, said, The Lord has forsaken me, and looks after me no more; my Lord has forgotten me, and will look after me no more. See how deplorable the case of God's people may be sometimes, such that they may seem to be forsaken and forgotten of their God; and at such a time their temptations may be alarmingly violent. Infidels, in their presumption, say God has forsaken the earth (Eze 8:12), and has forgotten their sins, Psa 10:11. Weak believers, in their despondency, are ready to say, "God has forsaken his church and forgotten the sorrows of his people." But we have no more reason to question his promise and grace than we have to question his providence and justice. He is as sure a rewarder as he is a revenger. Away therefore with these distrusts and jealousies, which are the bane of friendship. 2. The triumphs of the church, after her troubles, will in due time put the matter out of question. (1.) What God will do for Zion we are told, Isa 49:17. [1.] Her friends, who had deserted her, shall be gathered to her, and shall contribute their utmost to her assistance and comfort: Thy children shall make haste. Converts to the faith of Christ are the children of the church; they shall join themselves to her with great readiness and cheerfulness, and flock into the communion of saints, as doves to their windows. "Thy builders shall make haste" (so some read it), "who shall build up thy houses, thy walls, especially thy temple; they shall do it with expedition." Church work is usually slow work; but, when God's time shall come, it shall be done suddenly. [2.] Her enemies, who had threatened and assaulted her, shall be forced to withdraw from her: Thy destroyers, and those who made thee waste, who had made themselves masters of the country and ravaged it, shall go forth of thee. By Christ the prince of this world, the great destroyer, is cast out, is dispossessed, has his power broken and his attempts quite baffled. (2.) Now by this it will appear that Zion's suggestions were altogether groundless, that God has not forsaken her, nor forgotten her, nor ever will. Be assured, [1.] That God has a tender affection for his church and people, Isa 49:15. In answer to Zion's fears, God speaks as one concerned for his own glory (he takes himself to be reflected upon if Zion say, The Lord has forsaken me, and he will clear himself), as one concerned also for his people's comfort; he would not have them droop, and be discouraged, and give way to any uneasy thoughts. "You think that I have forgotten you. Can a woman forget her sucking child?" First, It is not likely that she should. A woman, whose honour it is to be of the tender sex as well as the fair one, cannot but have compassion for a child, which, being both harmless and helpless, is a proper object of compassion. A mother, especially, cannot but be concerned for her own child; for it is her own, a piece of herself, and very lately one with her. A nursing mother, most of all, cannot but be tender of her sucking child; her own breasts will soon put her in mind of it if she should forget it. But, Secondly, It is possible that she may forget. A woman may perhaps be so unhappy as not to be able to remember her sucking child (she may be sick, and dying, and going to the land of forgetfulness), or she may be so unnatural as not to have compassion on the son of her womb, as those who, to conceal their shame, are the death of their children as soon as they are their life, Lam 4:10; Deu 28:57. But, says God, I will not forget thee. Note, God's compassions to his people infinitely exceed those of the tenderest parents towards their children. What are the affections of nature to those of the God of nature! [2.] That he has a constant care of his church and people (Isa 49:16): I have engraven thee upon the palms of my hands. This does not allude to the foolish art of palmistry, which imagines every man's fate to be engraved in the palms of his hands and to be legible in the lines there, but to the custom of those who tie a string upon their hands or fingers to put them in mind of things which they are afraid they shall forget, or to the wearing of signet or locket-rings in remembrance of some dear friend. His setting them thus as a seal upon his arm denotes his setting them as a seal upon his heart, and his being ever mindful of them and their interests, Sol 8:6. If we bind God's law as a sign upon our hand (Deu 6:8, Deu 6:11, Deu 6:18), he will engrave our interests as a sign on his hand, and will look upon that and remember the covenant. He adds, "Thy walls shall be continually before me; thy ruined walls, though no pleasing spectacle, shall be in my thoughts of compassion." Do Zions' friends favour her dust? Psa 102:14. So does her God. Or, "The plan and model of thy walls, that are to be rebuilt, is before me, and they shall certainly be built according to it." Or, "Thy walls (that is, thy safety) are my continual care; so are the watchmen on thy walls." Some apply his engraving his church on the palms of his hands to the wounds in Christ's hands when he was crucified; he will look on the marks of them, and remember those for whom he suffered and died.”

“Sing, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth,.... Which may be understood of the heavens, and the earth by a personification, a figure usual in Scripture, to express the greatness of the benefit received, and to raise thankfulness and admiration in the hearts of God's people; see Psa 90:11 or by the heavens may be meant the angels in heaven, who, as they rejoice at the conversion of a single sinner, will much more rejoice at such numerous conversions among Jews and Gentiles, here prophesied of, Luk 15:10 and, by the "earth", the saints on earth, the excellent in it, who have a more immediate concern in, and must be affected with, the case here represented: and break forth into singing, O mountains; such as are in high office either in the state, as Christian kings and princes, Isa 49:23 or in the church, as prophets and apostles, Rev 18:20. The reason of all this is, for the Lord hath comforted his people; with the discoveries of his love and grace; by his gracious presence among them; by the coming of Christ unto them in a spiritual way; by sending his Spirit, and renewing the face of things, and reviving his work in the midst of them; by the pure and powerful preaching of the Gospel, and comfortable administration of Gospel ordinances; and by large additions of converts made unto them: and will have mercy upon his afflicted, or "poor", or "meek" and "humble" ones, as the words (l) may be rendered: the Lord's people is a poor and afflicted people, poor in a temporal and spiritual sense; the church and interest of Christ is in a poor and low condition: the Lord's people are afflicted outwardly and inwardly, and so become meek, and are kept humble; these the Lord, in the latter day, will raise from a low and distressed condition to a more exalted and comfortable one; which will be an instance of his mercy and compassion, and be matter of joy unto them. (l) "pauperum suorum", V. L. "pauperes suos", Forerius; "inopes suos", Vitringa; "humiles", Sept. "mansuetorum", Targum.”

“In this return of the exiles from every quarter of the globe to their fatherland, and for this mighty work of God on behalf of His church, which has been scattered in all directions, the whole creation is to praise Him. "Sing, O heavens; and shout, O earth; and break out into singing, O mountains! for Jehovah hath comforted His people, and He hath compassion upon His afflicted ones." The phrase רנּה פּצח, like ורנּן פּצח (which occurs in Psa 98:4 as well as in Isaiah), is peculiarly Isaiah's (Isa 14:7, and several times in chapters 40-66). "The afflicted ones" (‛ăniyyı̄m) is the usual Old Testament name for the ecclesia militans. The future alternates with the perfect: the act of consolation takes place once for all, but the compassion lasts for ever. Here again the glorious liberty of the children of God appears as the focus from which the whole world is glorified. The joy of the Israel of God becomes the joy of heaven and earth. With the summons to this joy the first half of the prophecy closes; for the word תאמר, which follows, shows clearly enough that the prophecy has merely reached a resting-point here, since this word is unsuitable for commencing a fresh prophecy.”