To appoint to the mourners of Sion, and to give them a crown for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, a garment of praise for the spirit of grief: and they shall be called in it the mighty ones of justice, the planting of the Lord to glorify hint.

“To appoint unto them that mourn for Zion that which the text is going to enumerate. Beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning. The mourner does not anoint with oil, as may be gathered from the story of the woman of Tekoa. (2 Sam. 14:2). כהה Weak. It is an adjective of the same root as the verb בהה (Lev. 13:6) which is rendered by some is become dark, but by me hath decreased, as it is contrasted with פׁשהֹ spread. אילי Trees. Comp. אילים oaks (1:29); the words which follow, the planting of the Lord, support this explanation.”

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon. Here he promises the people gladness. And it is divided into two parts. In the first he promises joy; in the second the people receive the promise and give thanks, there, "Rejoicing I will rejoice in the Lord." Concerning the first, two things. First he receives the office of announcing joy; second he foretells the reason or matter of the joy: "and they shall be called." Concerning the first, two things. First the gift of prophecy is touched upon: "the Spirit of the Lord is upon me" — Isaiah — whom he has anointed, filling him with the office of prophecy. 2 Peter 1: "for prophecy was not brought at any time by the will of man, but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Spirit." Or of Christ, of whom above, 11: "the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him." And in Psalm 44: "God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of exultation above your fellows." Luke 4: "This Scripture today." Second, the act of the prophet or of Christ is touched upon, which is twofold: to foretell rewards to the good, "to announce": James 1: "receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls"; and to confer remedies on the wretched. As to those who are cast down by faintheartedness: "that I might heal," by consoling, or by forgiving sins, if this is understood of Christ. Psalm 146: "who heals the contrite of heart, and binds up their bruises." And as to those who were held in captivity, to whom he announces the benefit of liberation: "and that I might preach to the captives," literally; or captive under the Devil, and in their own errors. Above, 49: "that you might say to those who are bound, Go forth." And the time of liberation: "and that I might preach the acceptable year," as to the liberation of the Jews; "of vengeance," as to the Chaldeans. Or the time of grace, in which he took vengeance on the Devil, repressing his power. John 12: "now is the judgment of the world, now shall the prince of this world be cast out." Psalm 64: "you will bless the crown," and Psalm 101: "because the time has come." And as to those who are swallowed up by sorrow, to whom he announces joy: "that I might comfort all," generally; "that I might appoint," specifically. Ecclesiasticus 48: "in a great spirit he saw the last things." And the sign of joy, when the signs of sorrow are turned into signs of gladness, and this is: "and that I might give to them." Above, 28: "in that day the Lord shall be a crown of glory." "And they shall be called." Here he foretells the matter of the joy: and first as to the restoration of the buildings, setting forth the condition of those who rebuild: "they shall be called in it" — namely, in Jerusalem, by the command and permission of Cyrus — "the mighty ones of justice," constant in doing justice, not moved by the threats of adversaries; or the apostles. Ecclesiasticus 39: "like a rose planted." And the restoration of the buildings: "and they shall build," the aforesaid men, or the apostles. Above, 58: "and the deserts of ages shall be built up in you." Second, as to the preservation of possessions: "and strangers shall stand." This could be fulfilled literally, in that some newcomers might be occupied in these lowly services, as with the Gibeonites: Hosea 9: "let them live and to use." Or mystically: the Gentiles — preachers, and afterward the simple of the Church — both guard and cultivate the Church herself by merits and teachings. Note on that word, "he has anointed me," that God the Father anoints Christ: first with the oil of priestly dignity, as a priest for offering sacrifices. Ecclesiasticus 45: "he anointed him with holy oil." Second, with the oil of royal power, as a king for governing. 2 Kings 12: "I have anointed you king and prince of my people." Third, with the oil of immense strength, as a warrior for fighting. 2 Kings 1: "How is the shield of the mighty cast away, the shield of Saul and of Jonathan, as though he were not anointed with oil?" Fourth, with the oil of surpassing gladness, as one generous in showing mercy. Psalm 111: "a pleasant man is he who shows mercy and lends." Psalm 44: "God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows." Likewise the devout servant anoints Christ: first with the tears of compunction. Matthew 6: "anoint your head, and wash your face." Second, with the ointment of devotion. Luke 7: "but she has anointed my feet with ointment." Third, with the oil of pure intention. Ecclesiastes 9: "let your garments be white at all times, and let not oil be lacking from your head." Fourth, with the oil of praise and thanksgiving. Genesis 28: "rising in the morning, Jacob took the stone and set it up as a memorial, and poured oil upon it," et cetera. "But you, priests." Here he foretells the matter of the joy as to the glory of men: and concerning this he does three things. First he shows the perfection of the glory, because they are glorious in spiritual things: "priests," as leading a holy life worthy of the priesthood. As 2 Kings 8, concerning the sons of David; Wisdom 5: "how they are numbered among the sons of God, and their lot is among the saints." Glorious also in temporal things: "strength" — that is, you shall be refreshed, you shall be sustained by the strength of the Persians and the Medes. "You shall glory" — you shall be exalted. Above, 60: "when the multitude of the sea shall be converted to you, the strength of the Gentiles shall come to you." Mystically, the apostles are priests, as teachers of the Gentiles, and delighted by the strength of the martyrs. And he assigns the reason for the perfection: "for confusion" — as if to say: from the lack of spiritual and temporal things you had confusion. "They shall praise" — the neighbors seeing — "the portion," the recompense of double goods made to them by God. Zechariah 9: "today also I declare that I will render double to you." Mystically the Church receives rewards in the goods of soul and body for the double confusion arising from the unbelief of the Gentiles and the Jews. Second, he touches on the duration of the glory: "everlasting joy." This is true as long as they remain in justice, as is explained in Jeremiah 18. Above, 35: "everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness." And he assigns the reason: "because I am the Lord." And the sense is: by the fact that the Lord loves justice, he will grant you to be just, so that thus you may please him; and he will make with you a covenant of everlasting joy. "Hating": Ecclesiasticus 34: "he who offers sacrifice from the substance of the poor is as one who sacrifices his own son in the sight of his own father." "An everlasting covenant." Jeremiah 31: "and I will make with the house of Israel and the house of Judah a new covenant." Third, the spreading abroad of the glory: "and it shall be known," which is to be referred either to the Jews, who were famous for the worship of religion, or to the spiritual seed of the apostles. Ecclesiasticus 44: "even forever." "Rejoicing I will rejoice." Here the people receive the promise and give thanks. And concerning this he does two things. First, in the person of the people, or of the Church, he expresses the joy of the heart: "rejoicing." Habakkuk 3: "but I will rejoice in the Lord, and I will exult in God my Jesus." Second, he confesses the divine benefit: and first under the likeness of garments, inasmuch as divine benefits protect from miseries: "because he has clothed me with the garments of salvation"; above, 52: "put on the garments of your gladness." Second, under the likeness of ornaments, inasmuch as they adorn: "as a bridegroom," mystically as to the perfect in the Church acting in the place of Christ; "as a bride," as to the imperfect. Baruch 5: "I will clothe you round about with a double garment." Third, under the likeness of sprouting plants, as to fruit: "for as the earth." Above, 35: "budding it shall bud."”

“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,.... Or, "to the mourners of Zion" (u); such who are of Zion, belong to the church of God, and mourn for the corruptions in Zion's doctrines; for the perversion, abuse, and neglect of Zion's ordinances; for the disorders and divisions in Zion; for the declensions there, as to the exercise of grace, and the power of godliness; for the few instances of conversions there, or few additions to it; for the carelessness, ease, and lukewarmness of many professors in Zion; and for their unbecoming lives and conversations. Now one part of Christ's work is to "appoint" comfort to such; he has appointed it in counsel and covenant from eternity; made provision for it in the blessings and promises of his grace; he has "set" (w) or put it in the ministry of the word; be has ordered his ministering servants to speak comfortably to his people; yea, by his Spirit he "puts" comfort into the hearts of them, who through their unbelief refuse to be comforted; and he has fixed a time when he will arise and have mercy on Zion, and bring her into a better state than she is now in, when there will be none of these causes of complaint and mourning: to give unto them beauty for ashes; in the Hebrew text there is a beautiful play on words, which cannot be so well expressed in our language, "to give peer for epher" (x); in times of mourning, it was usual to put on sackcloth and ashes, Est 4:1, instead of this, Christ gives his mourners the beautiful garments of salvation, and the robe of his righteousness, and the graces of his Spirit, and his gracious presence, together with his word and ordinances, and sometimes a large number of converts; all which, as they are ornamental to his people, they yield them joy, peace, and comfort: and this is a beauty that is not natural to them, but is of grace; not acquired, but given; not fictitious, but real; is perfect and complete, lasting and durable, and desired by Christ himself, who gives it: the oil of joy for mourning; oil used to be poured on the heads of persons at entertainments and festivals, and at times of rejoicing; and so is opposed to the state of mourners, who might not be anointed, as the Jewish commentators observe; see Psa 23:5 the grace of the Spirit without measure, with which Christ was anointed, is called "the oil of gladness", Psa 45:7 and of the same nature, though not of the same measure, is the grace which saints have from Christ; the effect of which is joy and gladness, even joy unspeakable, and full of glory; which is had in believing in Christ, and through a hope of eternal life by him; hence we read of the joy of faith, and of the rejoicing of hope: this oil is Christ's gift, and not to be bought with money; this holy unction comes from him; this golden oil is conveyed from him, through the golden pipes of the word and ordinances; is very valuable, of great price, and to be desired; and, being had, cannot be lost; it is the anointing that abides: the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; such as is in persons under afflictions, or under a sense of sin, a load of guilt, and expectation of wrath; such as have heavy hearts, contrite and contracted (y) ones, as the word is observed to signify; for as joy enlarges the heart, sorrow contracts it; instead of which, a garment of praise, or an honourable one, is given; alluding to persons putting on of raiment suitable to their characters and circumstances, at seasons of rejoicing, such as weddings, and the like, Ecc 9:7 by which may be meant here the robe of Christ's righteousness later mentioned, Isa 61:10 so called because worthy of praise, for the preferableness of it to all others, being the best robe; for its perfection and purity; for the fragrancy and acceptableness of it to God, and for its eternal duration; also, because it occasions and excites praise in such on whom it is put; and such likewise shall have praise of God hereafter, when on account of it they shall be received into his kingdom and glory: that they might be called trees of righteousness; that is, that the mourners in Zion, having all these things done for them, and bestowed on them, might be called, or be, or appear to be, like "trees" that are well planted; whose root is in Christ, whose sap is the Spirit and his grace, and whose fruit are good works; and that they might appear to be good trees, and of a good growth and stature, and be laden with the fruits of righteousness, and be truly righteous persons, made so by the imputation of Christ's righteousness to them: "the planting of the Lord"; planted by him in Christ, and in his church, and so never to be rooted out: that he might be glorified; by their fruitfulness and good works, Joh 15:8 or that he might glorify himself, or get himself glory by them; See Gill on Isa 60:21. (u) "lugentibus Sionis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator Vitrtnga. So Syr. (w) "ad ponendum" Montanus; "ut ponerem" Munster Pagninus. (x) the Targum and Vulgate Latin version render it a "crown for ashes" and the word is used for the tire of the head in Eze 24:17. The Syriac and Arabic versions read, "for ashes sweet ointment", or "oil of gladness", joining it to the next clause; and mention being made of oil or ointment there, Fortunatus Scacchus thinks the allusion is to crowns of roses and, lilies moistened with, ointment of myrrh, and like ointment, which used to be wore at nuptial solemnities; and so opposed to ashes put on the head in times of mourning, which falling from thence, and moistened with tears on the cheeks, were clotted there, and so expressed the miserable condition they were in; but these things the reverse. See his Sacror. Eleaoehr. Myrothec. I. 1. c. 28. col. 139. (y) "pro spiritu stricto", Montanus, Paganinus; "loco spiritus contracti", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "constricto", Vatablus.”

“To appoint . . . to give--The double verb, with the one and the same accusative, imparts glowing vehemence to the style. beauty for ashes--There is a play on the sound and meaning of the Hebrew words, peer, epher, literally, "ornamental headdress" or tiara (Eze 24:17), worn in times of joy, instead of a headdress of "ashes," cast on the head in mourning (Sa2 13:19). oil of joy--Perfumed ointment was poured on the guests at joyous feasts (Psa 23:5; Psa 45:7-8; Amo 6:6). On occasions of grief its use was laid aside (Sa2 14:2). garment of praise--bright-colored garments, indicative of thankfulness, instead of those that indicate despondency, as sackcloth (Joh 16:20). trees of righteousness--Hebrew, terebinth trees; symbolical of men strong in righteousness, instead of being, as heretofore, bowed down as a reed with sin and calamity (Isa 1:29-30; Isa 42:3; Kg1 14:15; Psa 1:3; Psa 92:12-14; Jer 17:8). planting of . . . Lord--(See on Isa 60:21). that he might be glorified-- (Joh 15:8).”