The Lord hath given me a learned tongue, that I should know how to uphold by word him that is weary: he wakeneth in the morning, in the morning he wakeneth my ear, that I may hear him as a master.

“For the power of His strong word, by which He always confuted the Pharisees and Scribes, and, in short, all your nation's teachers that questioned Him, had a cessation like a plentiful and strong spring, the waters of which have been turned off, when He kept silence, and chose to return no answer to any one in the presence of Pilate; as has been declared in the memoirs of His apostles, in order that what is recorded by Isaiah might have efficacious fruit, where it is written, "The Lord gives me a tongue, that I may know when I ought to speak." Again, when He said, "Thou art my God; be not far from me," He taught that all men ought to hope in God who created all things, and seek salvation and help from Him alone; and not suppose, as the rest of men do, that salvation can be obtained by birth, or wealth, or strength, or wisdom.”

“Now what ought we to learn before everything else, but to be silent that we may be able to speak? Lest my voice should condemn me before that of another acquits me, for it is written: "By your words you shall be condemned." What need is there, then, that you should hasten to undergo the danger of condemnation by speaking when you can be more safe by keeping silent? How many have I seen to fall into sin by speaking, but scarcely one by keeping silent; and so it is more difficult to know how to keep silent than how to speak … a person is wise, then, who knows how to keep silent. Lastly, the Wisdom of God said, "The Lord has given to me the tongue of learning, that I should know when it is good to speak." Justly, then, is one wise who has received of the Lord to know when he ought to speak. Wherefore the Scripture says well: "A wise person will keep silence until there is opportunity."”

“gave me a tongue for teaching Isaiah was saying, The Lord sent me and gave me a tongue fit to teach, in order to know to establish a time for the faint and thirsty to hear the words of the Holy One, blessed be He. to establish times Heb. לָעוּת. Menahem classified it in the group of (Ps. 119:126) “It is time (עֵת) to do for the Lord.” To establish times for them. He awakens my ear He awakens my ear with His Holy Spirit. to hear according to the teachings According to the custom of the teachings, the truth and that which is proper.”

“The Lord hath given me, etc. The first person refers to the prophet. למודים Learning.. It is an adjective; comp. למד מדבר used to the wilderness (Jer. 2:24); כלמדים as the pupils (at the end of this verse). לדעת לעות את יעף דבר That I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. The infinitive לעות is governed by לדעת to know; it is derived from עת time, or it is hap. leg. By him that is weary, the pupil is meant, who has a hard lesson to learn, of which he soon becomes tired and weary. He wakeneth, etc. The Lord stirreth me up every morning; he stirreth up my ear that I may listen as pupils do; for I am a pupil of the Lord.”

“Thus says the Lord: Who is this, etc. Here he begins to remove the impediments to liberation: and first he removes the impediments; second he applies remedies, chapter 53: Who has believed the report, etc. Concerning the first he removes three impediments. First, the lack of divine benefits; second, the rejection of persons, chapter 51: Hear me, you who follow, etc.; third, the poverty of things, chapter 52: Arise, arise, etc. Concerning the first, three things. First he excludes the impediment; second he sets himself forth as an example: The Lord has given me, etc.; third he concludes with wholesome counsel: Who among you that fears, etc. Concerning the first, two things. First he excludes the lack of divine benefits on the part of the divine will, second on the part of the divine power: Is it shortened, etc. Concerning the first, three things. First he excludes a defect of the divine will, as though God of himself did not wish to do good, excluding a twofold manner of alienation: namely, the manner of putting away a wife, which was by a bill of divorce, as is said in Deuteronomy 24, which indeed was permitted to them on account of the hardness of their heart, Matthew 19: Who is this, etc. But against this, Jeremiah 3: because she had committed adultery, etc. And it must be said that the Lord, as far as is in himself, did not repudiate them; but they, through their own sins, forsook God. He also excludes the manner of alienating a possession: Or who is the creditor, etc., as if to say: you who are my inheritance. Above, 19: I should have sold to him, not having anything else to pay — whence it is clear that, since I have not alienated you from my lordship, I am prepared to do good as far as it is in me. Second, he shows the sin of the human will: For behold, in iniquities — Romans 7: For I am a carnal man, sold under sin. Third, he sets forth an argument: because I came, through inspiration; I called, through the prophets. Proverbs 1: I called, and you refused. Is it shortened? Here he excludes the defect on the part of the divine power, excluding first a defect of power: shortened, as though I could not even subject those far off to myself; small, against powers. Below, 59: Behold, the hand of the Lord is not shortened. Second, he sets forth a sign of the divine power: Behold. First in the waters: in rebuke, that is, at command, I will do it, if I will, just as I did at the going out of Israel from Egypt, Exodus 14; I will make rivers, as the Arnon, Numbers 21, and the Jordan, Joshua 4; they will rot, as in Exodus 7, when the waters were turned into blood. Psalm 105: He rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up. Second, he shows signs of his power in the heavens: I will clothe the heavens — the airy ones — with darkness, as in Egypt, Exodus 10. Psalm 146: Who covers the heaven with clouds. The Lord has given. Here he sets himself forth as an example: and first as to the grace of the benefit received; then as to eloquence — a learned tongue, to sustain, with encouragements: Job 4: they strengthened the wavering; then also as to wisdom — he raises up, to attend, in the morning, from the beginning of my preaching, or from the beginning of my age. Or because at that time he was accustomed to pray, Psalm 62: In the mornings I will meditate on you. He has opened, for understanding, Psalm 84: I will hear what the Lord God speaks in me. Matthew 23: One is your master, Christ. Second, he sets himself forth as an example as to obedience, setting forth perfect obedience: But I do not contradict — rather I receive, and I accept his inspiration; I did not go backward, from a good purpose. Above, 45: Woe to him who contradicts his maker. He also sets forth the constancy of obeying, because he did not give up obedience for any danger: I have given my body; that is, I exposed myself to suffer such things. Or perhaps he suffered these things literally; but it was fully fulfilled in Christ, Matthew 26 and 27. Jeremiah 12: I have given my beloved soul into the hands of enemies. Third, he sets himself forth as an example as to the confidence which he had in God, first setting forth a ready defense: The Lord God is a helper — Jeremiah 20: The Lord is with me like a strong warrior. Second, the security of that confidence: and he set me, that I might not be moved by fear or shame. Ezekiel 3: I have made you like adamant and flint. Third, he assigns the reason for the security from the power of the one helping: Near is he who justifies, namely, God. Who will contradict? By words. Let us stand together. Job 17: Set me, Lord, next to you, and let anyone's hand fight against me. Adversary — by deeds. Let him condemn — by false judgments. Romans 8: God who justifies, who is it that condemns? Again, from the weakness of the one attacking: Behold, all of them like a garment — by old age, in which there is a natural defect; the moth, in which there is violence. Job 13: who am to be consumed like rottenness, and like a garment that is eaten by a moth. As if he were to say: from all these things, just as I, after having received benefits, obey God and trust in him, so also you. Who among you? Here he concludes, from his own example, a wholesome counsel: and first he sets forth the counsel; second he sets forth the contempt of the counsel: Behold, all of you. Now he gives counsel that they should trust in God: whence he does three things. First he requires the fitness of those who trust, which is from fear and obedience — servant, of Isaiah, or of whatever other. Psalm 24: Who is the man who fears the Lord? Second he shows the necessity of confidence: who has walked in darkness — of error, or of adversity. John 11: He who walks in the night stumbles. Third he sets forth the counsel itself: let him hope in the name; above, 10: the remnant of Israel, etc. Behold, all. Here he sets forth the contempt of the counsel, setting forth three things. First the fault: kindling — by your sins — a fire, meriting it for yourselves; girded — as though bound in your sins, or made ready for sin. Above, 1: your strength shall be as the ash of tow. Second he sets forth the punishment: walk — as if he were to say, receive the punishment. Psalm 9: The sinner is caught in the labors of his own hands. Third he sets forth the power of the one punishing: from the hand, namely, of the power of God. You shall sleep — the sleep of death. Note, on that word, you are sold in iniquities, that man sells many things for sin. First, the virtue of the soul: Lamentations 1: They gave up all their precious things for a vile price. Second, the heavenly inheritance: 3 Kings 21: The Lord be merciful to me, that I should not sell the inheritance of my fathers. Third, the liberty of the soul: Ecclesiasticus 10: Nothing is more wicked than to love money. Fourth, the honor of divine love: Hosea 3: the Lord loves. Also, on that word, But I do not contradict, note that men contradict God: first, the unfaithful contradict the divine truth. Ecclesiasticus 4: Do not contradict the word of truth. Second, the impatient contradict the divine correction. Job 9: who contradicts him? etc. Third, the impenitent contradict the divine goodness. Above, 41: and they shall be as if they were not. Fourth, the disobedient contradict the divine authority. Hosea 4: your people. Also, on that word, you shall sleep in sorrows, that sinners grieve in death. First, on account of the loss of bodily things: Job 27: When the rich man shall sleep, he shall carry nothing with him. Second, on account of the contradiction of conscience: Wisdom 5: doing penance, and groaning for anguish of spirit. Third, on account of despair of future glory: Lamentations, last chapter: The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned. Fourth, on account of fear of punishment: Psalm 47: There sorrows as of a woman in labor, etc.”

“Our Lord Jesus, having proved himself able to save, here shows himself as willing as he is able to save, here shows himself as willing as he is able. We suppose the prophet Isaiah to say something of himself in these verses, engaging and encouraging himself to go on in his work as a prophet, notwithstanding the many hardships he met with, not doubting but that God would stand by him and strengthen him; but, like David, he speaks of himself as a type of Christ, who is here prophesied of and promised to be the Saviour. I. As an acceptable preacher. Isaiah, a a prophet, was qualified for the work to which he was called, so were the rest of God's prophets, and others whom he employed as his messengers; but Christ was anointed with the Spirit above his fellows. To make the man of God perfect, he has, 1. The tongue of the learned, to know how to give instruction, how to speak a word in season to him that is weary, Isa 50:4. God, who made man's mouth, gave Moses the tongue of the learned, to speak for the terror and conviction of Pharaoh, Exo 4:11, Exo 4:12. He gave to Christ the tongue of the learned, to speak a word in season for the comfort of those that are weary and heavily laden under the burden of sin, Mat 11:28. Grace was poured into his lips, and they are said to drop sweet-smelling myrrh. See what is the best learning of a minister, to know how to comfort troubled consciences, and to speak pertinently, properly, and plainly, to the various cases of poor souls. An ability to do this is God's gift, and it is one of the best gifts, which we should covet earnestly. Let us repose ourselves in the many comfortable words which Christ has spoken to the weary. 2. The ear of the learned, to receive instruction. Prophets have as much need of this as of the tongue of the learned; for they must deliver what they are taught and no other, must hear the word from God's mouth diligently and attentively, that they may speak it exactly, Eze 3:17. Christ himself received that he might give. None must undertake to be teachers who have not first been learners. Christ's apostles were first disciples, scribes instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, Mat 13:52. Nor is it enough to hear, but we must hear as the learned, hear and understand, hear and remember, hear as those that would learn by what we hear. Those that would hear as the learned must be awake, and wakeful; for we are naturally drowsy and sleepy, and unapt to hear at all, or we hear by the halves, hear and do not heed. Our ears need to be wakened; we need to have something said to rouse us, to awaken us out of our spiritual slumbers, that we may hear as for our lives. We need to be awakened morning by morning, as duly as the day returns, to be awakened to do the work of the day in its day. Our case calls for continual fresh supplies of divine grace, to free us from the dulness we contract daily. The morning, when our spirits are most lively, is a proper time for communion with God; then we are in the best frame both to speak to him (my voice shalt thou hear in the morning) and to hear from him. The people came early in the morning to hear Christ in the temple (Luk 21:38), for, it seems, his were morning lectures. And it is God that wakens us morning by morning. If we do any thing to purpose in his service, it is he who, as our Master, calls us up; and we should doze perpetually if he did not waken us morning by morning. II. As a patient sufferer, Isa 50:5, Isa 50:6. One would think that he who was commissioned and qualified to speak comfort to the weary should meet with no difficulty in his work, but universal acceptance. It is however quite otherwise; he has both hard work to do and hard usage to undergo; and here he tells us with what undaunted constancy he went through with it. We have no reason to question but that the prophet Isaiah went on resolutely in the work to which God had called him, though we read not of his undergoing any such hardships as are here supposed; but we are sure that the prediction was abundantly verified in Jesus Christ: and here we have, 1. His patient obedience in his doing work. "The Lord God has not only wakened my ear to hear what he says, but has opened my ear to receive it, and comply with it" (Psa 40:6, Psa 40:7, My ear hast thou opened; then said I, Lo, I come); for when he adds, I was not rebellious, neither turned away back, more is implied than expressed - that he was willing, that though he foresaw a great deal of difficulty and discouragement, though he was to take pains and give constant attendance as a servant, though he was to empty himself of that which was very great and humble himself to that which was very mean, yet he did not fly off, did not fail, nor was discouraged. He continued very free and forward to his work even when he came to the hardest part of it. Note, As a good understanding in the truths of God, so a good will to the work and service of God, is from the grace of God. 2. His obedient patience in his suffering work. I call it obedient patience because he was patient with an eye to his Father's will, thus pleading with himself, This commandment have I received of my Father, and thus submitting to God, Not as I will, but as thou wilt. In this submission he resigned himself, (1.) To be scourged: I gave my back to the smiters; and that not only by submitting to the indignity when he was smitten, but by permitting it (or admitting it rather) among the other instances of pain and shame which he would voluntarily undergo for us. (2.) To be buffeted: I gave my cheeks to those that not only smote them, but plucked off the hair of the beard, which was a greater degree both of pain and of ignominy. (3.) To be spit upon: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. He could have hidden his face from it, could have avoided it, but he would not, because he was made a reproach of men, and thus he would answer to the type of Job, that man of sorrows, of whom it is said that they smote him on the cheek reproachfully (Job 16:10), which was an expression not only of contempt, but of abhorrence and indignation. All this Christ underwent for us, and voluntarily, to convince us of his willingness to save us. III. As a courageous champion, Isa 50:7-9. The Redeemer is as famous for his boldness as for his humility and patience, and, though he yields, yet he is more than a conqueror. Observe, 1. The dependence he has upon God. What was the prophet Isaiah's support was the support of Christ himself (v. 7): The Lord God will help me; and again, v. 9. Those whom God employs he will assist, and will take care they want not any help that they or their work call for. God, having laid help upon his Son for us, gave help to him, and his hand was all along with the man of his right hand. Nor will he only assist him in his work, but accept of him (v. 8): He is near that justifieth. Isaiah, no doubt, was falsely accused and loaded with reproach and calumny, as other prophets were; but he despised the reproach, knowing that God would roll it away and bring forth his righteousness as the light, perhaps in this world (Psa 37:6), at furthest in the great day, when there will be a resurrection of names as well as bodies, and the righteous shall shine forth as the morning sun. And so it was verified in Christ; by his resurrection he was proved to be not the man that he was represented, not a blasphemer, not a deceiver, not an enemy to Caesar. The judge that condemned him owned he found no fault in him; the centurion, or sheriff, that had charge of his execution, declared him a righteous man: so near was he that justified him. But it was true of him in a further and more peculiar sense: the Father justified him when he accepted the satisfaction he made for the sin of man, and constituted him the Lord our righteousness, who was made sin for us. He was justified in the Spirit, Ti1 3:16. He was near who did it; for his resurrection, by which he was justified, soon followed his condemnation and crucifixion. He was straightway glorified, Joh 13:32. 2. The confidence he thereupon has of success in his undertaking: "If God will help me, if he will justify me, will stand by me and bear me out, I shall not be confounded, as those are that come short of the end they aimed at and the satisfaction they promised themselves: I know that I shall not be ashamed." Though his enemies did all they could to put him to shame, yet he kept his ground, he kept his countenance, and was not ashamed of the work he had undertaken. Note, Work for God is work that we should not be ashamed of; and hope in God is hope that we shall not be ashamed of. Those that trust in God for help shall not be disappointed; they know whom they have trusted, and therefore know they shall not be ashamed. 3. The defiance which in this confidence he bids to all opposers and opposition: "God will help me, and therefore have I set my face like a flint." The prophet did so; he was bold in reproving sin, in warning sinners (Eze 3:8, Eze 3:9), and in asserting the truth of his predictions. Christ did so; he went on in his work, as Mediator, with unshaken constancy and undaunted resolution; he did not fail nor was discouraged; and here he challenges all his opposers, (1.) To enter the lists with him: Who will contend with me, either in law or by the sword? Let us stand together as combatants, or as the plaintiff and defendant. Who is my adversary? Who is the master of my cause? so the word is, "Who will pretend to enter an action against me? Let him appear, and come near to me, for I will not abscond." Many offered to dispute with Christ, but he put them to silence. The prophet speaks this in the name of all faithful ministers; those who keep close to the pure word of God, in delivering their message, need not fear contradiction; the scriptures will bear them out, whoever contends with them. Great is the truth and will prevail. Christ speaks this in the name of all believers, speaks it as their champion. Who dares be an enemy to those whom he is a friend to, or contend with those for whom he is an advocate? Thus St. Paul applies it (Rom 8:33): Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? (2.) He challenges them to prove any crime upon him (Isa 50:9): Who is he that shall condemn me? The prophet perhaps was condemned to die; Christ we are sure was; and yet both could say, Who is he that shall condemn? For there is no condemnation to those whom God justifies. There were those that did condemn them, but what became of them? They all shall wax old as a garment. The righteous cause of Christ and his prophets shall outlive all opposition. The moth shall eat them up silently and insensibly; a little thing will serve to destroy them. But the roaring lion himself shall not prevail against God's witnesses. All believers are enabled to make this challenge, Who is he that shall condemn? It is Christ that died.”

“The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned,.... These are not the words of the prophet, as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and others think; though what is here said is applicable to ministers of the word, who have to do with weary souls, and it is their work to comfort and refresh them; and which work requires knowledge and experience of their case, a good degree of elocution to speak aptly and with propriety, even to have the tongue of the learned, especially in a spiritual sense; as such have who have learned of the Father, and have been taught by the Spirit of God, and are well versed in the Scriptures, and can speak in the taught words of the Holy Ghost, comparing spiritual things with spiritual; and they have need of great prudence to time things right, to speak fitly and opportunely, and give to each their portion in due season, to whom they minister; and also great diligence and assiduity in prayer, reading, and meditation; and such as are teachers of others must be the Lord's hearers, and should be very diligent and attentive ones; all which are gifts from the Lord, and to be ascribed to him. But the words are to be understood of Christ, the same person that is speaking in the preceding verses; who being anointed by the Spirit of the Lord God, as man, whose gifts and graces he received without measure, he was abundantly qualified for the discharge of his prophetic office; and was capable of speaking as never man did, and with such power and authority as the Scribes and Pharisees did not, and with so much wisdom and eloquence as were surprising to all that heard him; he had the Spirit of wisdom on him, and the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid in him: that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary; not only saints, weary with sin, their own and others, and with troubles from the world, from Satan, and by afflictive providences; but sinners under first awakenings, distressed and uneasy in their minds at a sight of sin, in its exceeding sinfulness; pressed with the guilt of it, filled with a sense of divine wrath on account of it, and terrified with the thoughts of death, and a future judgment; and are weary with labouring for bread which satisfies not, for righteousness and life, and in seeking for resting places, being in want of spiritual rest, peace, and comfort; and who are hungry and thirsting after righteousness, after pardoning grace and mercy, after Christ and salvation by him, after his word and ordinances, after communion with him, and conformity to him; who are weak and without strength, and ready to faint for want of refreshment. The word for "weary" signifies "thirsty", according to Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech; who explain it of persons that thirst after hearing the word of the Lord: the Targum is, "to know how to teach the righteous that weary themselves at the words of the law;'' or, as some render it, that pant after the words of the law: but not the law, but the Gospel, is "the word in season", to be spoken to weary souls; which proclaims pardon, preaches peace, is the word of righteousness and salvation; which directs hungry and thirsty souls to Christ, as the bread and water of life, and invites weary ones to him for rest. That word of his, Mat 11:28 is a word in season to such persons: such a word Christ spoke when he was here on earth in his own person, and now speaks by his ministers in the preaching of the Gospel, and by his Spirit applying it to his people. He wakeneth morning by morning; one after another continually, meaning himself; the allusion is to masters calling their scholars early to their studies; the morning being the fittest season for instruction and learning. He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned; who hear attentively, and with great pleasure and profit. This and the preceding clause seem to denote both the earliness in which Christ entered on his prophetic office, and his attentiveness in hearkening to all that was said in the eternal council and covenant by his divine Father; which he, as the Prophet of his church, makes known unto his people, Joh 15:15.”

“Weary. Isaias speaks in the name of Christ, whose words carried conviction and comfort along with them, John vi. 69., and vii. 46. (Calmet) — Wakeneth. Literally, “lifteth up.” Cynthius aurem — Vellit. (Ec. vi.) — Hear, or obey. (Haydock) — Christ preached more powerfully than Isaias, and continues to do so by his pastors. (St. Jerome) (Worthington)”

“Messiah, as "the servant of Jehovah" (Isa 42:1), declares that the office has been assigned to Him of encouraging the "weary" exiles of Israel by "words in season" suited to their case; and that, whatever suffering it is to cost Himself, He does not shrink from it (Isa 50:5-6), for that He knows His cause will triumph at last (Isa 50:7-8). learned--not in mere human learning, but in divinely taught modes of instruction and eloquence (Isa 49:2; Exo 4:11; Mat 7:28-29; Mat 13:54). speak a word in season-- (Pro 15:23; Pro 25:11). Literally, "to succor by words," namely, in their season of need, the "weary" dispersed ones of Israel (Deu 28:65-67). Also, the spiritual "weary" (Isa 42:3; Mat 11:28). wakeneth morning by morning, &c.--Compare "daily rising up early" (Jer 7:25; Mar 1:35). The image is drawn from a master wakening his pupils early for instruction. wakeneth . . . ear--prepares me for receiving His divine instructions. as the learned--as one taught by Him. He "learned obedience," experimentally, "by the things which He suffered"; thus gaining that practical learning which adapted Him for "speaking a word in season" to suffering men (Heb 5:8).”

“He in whom Jehovah came to His nation, and proclaimed to it, in the midst of its self-induced misery, the way and work of salvation, is He who speaks in Isa 50:4 : "The Lord Jehovah hath given me a disciple's tongue, that I may know how to set up the wearied with words: He wakeneth every morning; wakeneth mine ear to attend in disciple's manner." The word limmūdı̄m, which is used in the middle of the verse, and which is the older word for the later talmidı̄m, μαθηταί, as in Isa 8:16; Isa 54:13, is repeated at the close of the verse, according to the figure of palindromy, which is such a favourite figure in both parts of the book of Isaiah; and the train of thought, "He wakeneth morning by morning, wakeneth mine ear," recals to mind the parallelism with reservation which is very common in the Psalms, and more especially the custom of a "triolet-like" spinning out of the thoughts, from which the songs of "degrees" (or ascending steps, shı̄r hamma‛ălōth) have obtained their name. The servant of Jehovah affords us a deep insight here into His hidden life. The prophets received special revelations from God, for the most part in the night, either in dreams or else in visions, which were shown them in a waking condition, but yet in the more susceptible state of nocturnal quiet and rest. Here, however, the servant of Jehovah receives the divine revelations neither in dreams nor visions of the night; but every morning (babbōqer babbōqer as in Isa 28:19), i.e., when his sleep is over, Jehovah comes to him, awakens his ear, by making a sign to him to listen, and then takes him as it were into the school after the manner of a pupil, and teaches him what and how he is to preach. Nothing indicates a tongue befitting the disciples of God, so much as the gift of administering consolation; and such a gift is possessed by the speaker here. "To help with words him that is exhausted" (with suffering and self-torture): עוּת, Arab. gât̬, med. Vav, related to אוּשׁ, חוּשׁ, signifies to spring to a person with words to help, Aq. ὑποστηρίσαι, Jer. sustentare. The Arabic gât̬, med. Je, to rain upon or water (Ewald, Umbreit, etc.), cannot possibly be thought of, since this has no support in the Hebrew; still less, however, can we take עוּת as a denom. from עת, upon which Luther has founded his rendering, "to speak to the weary in due season" (also Eng. ver.). דּבר is an accusative of more precise definition, like אשׁר in Isa 50:1 (cf., Isa 42:25; Isa 43:23). Jerome has given the correct rendering: "that I may know how to sustain him that is weary with a word."”