Then shalt thou be delighted in the Lord, and I will lift thee up above the high places of the earth, and will feed thee with the inheritance of Jacob thy father. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

“I used to strive daily to win my way outside the world, outside the flesh; to drive all phantasms of the body from the eyes of my soul, and to see incorporeally supernal joys; and not only with my voice but in the core of my heart I used to say, "My heart hath said unto Thee, I have sought Thy face, Thy face, Lord, will I seek." Moreover desiring nothing, fearing nothing, in this world, I seemed to myself to stand on a certain summit of things, so that I almost believed to be fulfilled in me what I had learnt of the Lord's promise through the prophet, "I will lift thee up upon the high places of the earth." For he is lifted up upon the high places of the earth who treads under foot through looking down upon them in his mind even the very things of the present world which seem lofty and glorious. But, having been suddenly dashed from this summit of things by the whirlwind of this trial, I have fallen into fears and tremors, since, even though I have no fears for myself, I am greatly afraid for those who have been committed to me. On every side I am tossed by the waves of business, and sunk by storms, so that I may truly say, "I am come into the depth of the sea, and the storm hath overwhelmed me." After business I long to return to my heart; but, driven therefrom by vain tumults of thoughts, I am unable to return.”

“the heritage of Jacob your father An inheritance without boundaries, as it is said (Gen. 28: 14): “And you shall spread to the west and to the east, etc.” Not like Abraham, about whom it is stated (ibid. 13:15): “The land that you see...” And Jacob indeed kept the Sabbath, as it is said (ibid. 33: 18): “And he encamped before the city,” i.e., he established the Sabbath limits at twilight. So did Rabbi Samson explain it.”

“Then shalt thou delight, etc. If thou call the sabbath a delight, then thou shalt find delight in the Lord, as a child does in his father. במתי ארץ The high places of the earth. The holy land. And feed thee with the heritage, etc. The prophet speaks to those that are in exile; therefore he uses the expressions, And I will cause thee to ride and Restorer of paths.”

“Cry out, do not cease. Here he excludes the useless remedy by which they wished to prepare themselves for salvation. And first he enjoins the office of denunciation, setting down the manner of denouncing: that it be loud, without a fear that weighs down: cry out. Above, 40: lift up your voice with strength, you who bring good tidings to Zion. That it be continuous: do not cease. Below, 62: upon your walls, Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; all day and all night they shall not be silent. That it be clear and open, as a trumpet. Hosea 8: let there be a trumpet in your throat. And the word of denunciation: declare crimes — as to the greater ones; sins — as to the common ones. Above, 16: to those who rejoice over the walls of baked brick, speak of their wounds. Secondly the prophet excludes, in the person of the Lord, the useless remedy: for indeed me. And concerning this he does two things. First he excludes the remedy in which they trusted; secondly he exhorts to those things in which they were lacking: is not this. Concerning the first, two things. First he shows the presumption of their confidence as to three things in which they trusted: namely, in the inquiry of sacred knowledge: for indeed they seek me — in the Scriptures — my ways, my precepts and my wills, as a nation, that is, as if they were prepared to do them. Ezekiel 33: they say, one to another. Again in prayer: they ask of me judgments, that is, that I should judge for them against their adversaries, to draw near, with the mouth. Above, 29: this people draws near with its mouth. Again they trusted in the observance of fasts: why have we fasted, and you have not regarded it, as if it were pleasing; we have humbled ourselves — as to the circumstance surrounding the fast, in exterior humiliation — you have not known, with the knowledge of approval. Malachi 3: vain is he who serves God: and what profit is it, that we have kept his precepts? Secondly he shows the reprobation of the goods just mentioned. And first the cause of the reprobation, which is the fault of pleasure: behold, in the day — the will, in those things which please the flesh. Ecclesiasticus 18: go not after your lusts. Likewise the fault of cruelty: and all debtors — literally, so that they might persist for a long time in pursuing lawsuits, or with reference to what follows from it. James 4: you quarrel and you fight. Likewise the fault of vanity: do not fast that you may be heard — for the sake of human praise. Matthew 6: but when you pray, enter into your chamber, and having shut the door, pray to your Father. Or, that it may be heard; that is, if you wish that your prayer be heard by God. Psalm 101: Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you. Secondly he shows the insufficiency of the goods: is such — because God does not choose your punishment for its own sake, nor for the affliction of the flesh, which he touches in what he says: through the day, the whole day, to afflict. Nor as to the abjection of exterior humility, which he touches in what he says, as a circle; that is, bowing the head to the feet, or turning it about, as monks do, not insofar as it is ordered to the virtue of the mind. Matthew 6: when you fast, do not become sad like the hypocrites. Joel 2: rend your hearts, and not your garments. Is not this. Here he applies useful counsel: and first as to the zeal of piety toward one's neighbor; secondly as to the worship of religion toward God, if you turn away. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the counsel of piety, that they should give up calumny: bonds — false causes, by which they cunningly bound the poor as usurers do; bundles — the same, weighing down, as to the penalties to which they bound them. Who are broken — by long servitude; burden — of servitude. Matthew 23: they bind heavy and unbearable burdens; but with their own finger they are unwilling to move them. And that they may attend to mercy, exhorting to mercy: as to the hungry, break — that is, even if you have but little; as to the wandering, and the needy; as to the naked, when you see. Job 31: if I have denied what they wished. And he sets down the cause of the exhortation: and the flesh — because, namely, it is of the same species as you. Job 5: visiting your species. Secondly he shows the fruit of the counsel: and it shall break forth. And first as to the efficacy of merits. Then as to the works of virtue: as the morning, your light; that is, your merits shall clearly appear in their rewards, which now you complain are not regarded by the Lord. It shall gather — from captivity, or in the protection of mercy. Psalm 36: he will bring forth your justice as the light. Then as to the support of prayer: then you shall call upon. Above, 30: at the voice of your cry, as soon as he hears it, he will answer you. Secondly as to the attainment of goods. And first he resumes the merit: if you take away the chain — with which you oppress the poor; to stretch out the finger — by detracting and threatening; when you shall have poured out — through compassion; you shall have filled — through the supplying of necessities. Secondly he promises the reward: it shall rise. And first as to the multiplication of goods, setting down deliverance from evils: it shall rise in the darkness — adversity shall be changed into the light of prosperity, ignorance into the light of knowledge, or sin into the light of knowledge, as to spiritual things. And rest — as to temporal evils. 2 Corinthians 4: God, who said, out of darkness. The multiplication of interior spiritual goods: he will fill with splendors — namely, with virtues or consolations; and your bones — as to bodily things. Ecclesiasticus 30: a splendid and good heart. And of exterior goods: and you shall be as a garden — on account of prosperity, or the unfailingness of all goods. Numbers 24: how beautiful are your tabernacles, Jacob. Secondly as to the rebuilding of the homeland: and there shall be built, after the return from captivity, of the ages — that is, the cities deserted in former ages — you shall raise up, by building upon the ancient foundations. Above, 44: who say to Jerusalem, you shall be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, you shall be built. Thirdly as to the restoration of reputation: and you shall be called the builder of hedges, that is, of the obstacles of sin; of iniquities; or into rest — namely, converting the paths of sin into rest. Hosea 2: I will hedge up your ways with thorns. If you turn away. Here he sets down counsel as to the worship of religion in the observance of the sabbath. And first he sets down the counsel: the foot — lest you do forbidden works. You shall be called the sabbath, that is, one celebrating this sabbath, as to the exercise of good works. Exodus 20: remember to keep holy the sabbath day. Another text has: you shall have called; and the sense is the same. Secondly he sets down the fruit: then you shall delight — as to spiritual goods; I will lift you up — by bringing you back into your land, which is mountainous; I will feed you — as to the enjoyment of the goods of the land. Job 22: then you shall abound with delights over the Almighty. Note, on that word, lift up like a trumpet, that preaching is a trumpet. First, because it rouses to the state of life. 1 Corinthians 15: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise incorrupt. Secondly, because it exhorts to battle. 1 Corinthians 14: if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle? Thirdly, because it announces the approach of a man. Above, 27: it shall be sounded with trumpets. Fourthly, because it calls to counsel. Hosea 8: let there be a trumpet in your throat. Fifthly, because it invites to a feast. Psalm 80: blow the trumpet at the new moon. Likewise note, on that passage, if you take away from your midst the chain, what a chain is. First, of piety. Ephesians, last chapter: for which I perform an embassy in this chain. Secondly, of iniquity. Wisdom 17: for they were all bound together by one chain of darkness. Thirdly, of poverty. Job 36: if they shall have been bound. Fourthly, of servitude. Jeremiah 28: wooden chains. Fifthly, of prison. Ecclesiastes 4: for out of prison and chains one sometimes comes forth to a kingdom.”

“Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord,.... In his perfections; in his omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, eternity, immutability, holiness, justice, truth, and faithfulness; in his wisdom, love, grace, and mercy, especially as displayed in Christ, and salvation by him; in the relations he stands in to his people, as their covenant God and Father, and in what he is to them, their shield and exceeding great reward, their portion and inheritance; in his works of creation, providence, and grace; in his word, the Gospel, the truths, doctrines, and promises of it; in his ways and worship: in his ordinances and commandments; in communion with him, and with his people; in all which, abundance of delight, pleasure, and satisfaction, is found by those who know him in Christ, have tasted that he is gracious; who have some likeness to him, love him, and are the objects of his love and delight: and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth; to live above the world, and to have their conversation in heaven; to be in the utmost safety, and enjoy the greatest plenty, especially of spiritual things: or to be superior to the men of the world, even the highest of them; to have power and authority in the earth, as the saints will have in the latter day; particularly this will be true when the mountain of the Lord's house is established upon the top of the mountains, Isa 2:2, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: the Jewish writers inquire why Jacob is mentioned, and not Abraham nor Isaac; and answer, as in the Talmud (p), not Abraham, of whom it is written, "arise, walk through the land in the length of it", &c. Gen 13:17, nor Isaac, of whom it is written, "for unto thee, and to thy seed, will I give all these countries", &c. Gen 26:3, but Jacob, of whom it is written, "and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south", &c. Gen 28:14 expressing the larger extent of the inheritance; so Jarchi and Samson account for it; but Kimchi gives a better reason, because the sons of Jacob, and not Ishmael the son of Abraham, nor Esau the son of Isaac, inherited the land of Canaan: but rather the reason is, because he is the father of all true Israelites, who are, as he was, wrestling and prevailing; these the Lord feeds with spiritual provisions here, and glory hereafter; which the good things of the land of Canaan, the inheritance of Jacob and his sons, were a type of: and perhaps this may have respect to the conversion of the Jews, when they shall return to their own land, and enjoy the good things of it, as well as all spiritual blessings: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it; who is faithful to his covenant, true to his word; cannot lie, will never deceive; performs whatsoever he has promised, being able to do it; and therefore it may be depended upon that all this shall be as he has said. (p) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol 118. 2. Next: Isaiah Chapter 59”

“Earth. Judea. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “upon the good things of the land.” (Haydock) Bible Text & Cross-references: God rejects the hypocritical fasts of the Jews: recommends works of mercy, and sincere godliness. 1 Cry, cease not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their wicked doings, and the house of Jacob their sins. 2 For they seek me from day to day, and desire to know my ways, as a nation that hath done justice, and hath not forsaken the judgment of their God: they ask of me the judgments of justice: they are willing to approach to God. 3 Why have we fasted, and thou hast not regarded: why have we humbled our souls, and thou hast not taken notice? Behold, in the day of your fast, your own will is found, and you exact of all your debtors. 4 Behold, you fast for debates and strife, and strike with the fist wickedly. Do not fast as you have done until this day, to make your cry to be heard on high. 5 *Is this such a fast as I have chosen: for a man to afflict his soul for a day? is this it, to wind his head about like a circle, and to spread sackcloth and ashes? wilt thou call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord? 6 Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen? loose the bands of wickedness, undo the bundles that oppress, let them that are broken, go free, and break asunder every burden. 7 *Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house: when thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh. 8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall speedily arise, and thy justice shall go before thy face, and the glory of the Lord shall gather thee up. 9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear: thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou wilt take away the chain out of the midst of thee, and cease to stretch out the finger, and to speak that which profiteth not. 10 When thou shalt pour out thy soul to the hungry, and shalt satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light rise up in darkness, and thy darkness shall be as the noon-day. 11 And the Lord will give thee rest continually, and will fill thy soul with brightness, and deliver thy bones, and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a fountain of waters, whose water shall not fail. 12 *And the places that have been desolate for ages, shall be built in thee: thou shalt raise up the foundations of generation and generation: and thou shalt be called the repairer of the fences, turning the paths into rest. 13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy own will in my holy day, and call the sabbath delightful, and the holy of the Lord glorious, and glorify him, while thou dost not thy own ways, and thy own will is not found, to speak a word: 14 Then shalt thou be delighted in the Lord, and I will lift thee up above the high places of the earth, and will feed thee with the inheritance of Jacob, thy father. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”

“delight . . . in . . . Lord--God rewards in kind, as He punishes in kind. As we "delight" in keeping God's "Sabbath," so God will give us "delight" in Himself (Gen 15:1; Job 22:21-26; Psa 37:4). ride upon . . . high places--I will make thee supreme lord of the land; the phrase is taken from a conqueror riding in his chariot, and occupying the hills and fastnesses of a country [VITRINGA], (Deu 32:13; Mic 1:3; Hab 3:19). Judea was a land of hills; the idea thus is, "I will restore thee to thine own land" [CALVIN]. The parallel words, "heritage of Jacob," confirm this (Gen 27:28-29; Gen 28:13-15). mouth of . . . Lord . . . spoken it--a formula to assure men of the fulfilment of any solemn promise which God has made (Isa 40:5). The reason why Jehovah does not deliver His people, notwithstanding their religious services (Isa 58:3), is not want of power on His part, but because of their sins (Isa 59:1-8); Isa 59:9-15 contain their confession; Isa 59:16-21, the consequent promise of the Messiah. Next: Isaiah Chapter 59”