Isaiah 62 · Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
CHAPTER 62 Is 62:1-12 . Intercessory Prayers for Zion's Restoration, Accompanying God's Promises of It, as the Appointed Means of Accomplishing It. 1. I-- the prophet, as representative of all the praying people of God who love and intercede for Zion (compare Is 62:6 , 7 ; Psa 102:13-17 ), or else Messiah (compare Is 62:6 ). So Messiah is represented as unfainting in His efforts for His people ( Is 42:4 ; 50:7 ). righteousness thereof-- not its own inherently, but imputed to it, for its restoration to God's favor: hence "salvation" answers to it in the parallelism. "Judah" is to be "saved" through "the Lord our (Judah's and the Church's) righteousness" ( Jr 23:6 ). as brightness-- properly the bright shining of the rising sun ( Is 60:19 ; 4:5 ; 2Sa 23:4 ; Pr 4:18 ). lamp-- blazing torch.
2. ( Is 11:10 ; 42:1-6 ; 49:7, 22, 23; 60:3, 5, 16). new name-- expression of thy new and improved condition ( Is 62:4 ), the more valuable and lasting as being conferred by Jehovah Himself ( Is 62:12 ; Is 65:15 ; Re 2:17 ; 3:12 ).
3. ( Zec 9:16 ) in ... hand of ... Lord-- As a crown is worn on the head, not "in the hand," hand must here be figurative for "under the Lord's protection" (compare De 33:3 ). "All His saints are in thy hand." His people are in His hand at the same time that they are "a crown of glory" to Him ( Re 6:2 ; 19:12 ); reciprocally, He is "a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty" to them ( Is 28:5 ; compare Mal 3:17).
4. be termed-- be "forsaken," so as that that term could be applicable to thee. Hephzi-bah-- ( 2Ki 21:1 ), the name of Hezekiah's wife, a type of Jerusalem, as Hezekiah was of Messiah ( Is 32:1 ): "my delight is in her." Beulah-- "Thou art married." See the same contrast of Zion's past and future state under the same figure ( Is 54:4-6 ; Re 21:2 , 4 ). land ... married-- to Jehovah as its Lord and Husband: implying not only ownership, but protection on the part of the Owner [Horsley].
5. thy sons-- rather, changing the points, which are of no authority in Hebrew, "thy builder" or "restorer," that is, God; for in the parallel clause, and in Is 62:4 , God is implied as being "married" to her; whereas her "sons" could hardly be said to marry their mother; and in Is 49:18 , they are said to be her bridal ornaments, not her husband. The plural form, builders, is used of God in reverence as "husbands" (see on Is 54:5 ). over the bride-- in the possession of the bride ( Is 65:19 ; Jr 32:41 ; Zep 3:17 ).
6. I-- Isaiah speaking in the person of the Messiah. watchmen upon ... walls-- image from the watches set upon a city's wall to look out for the approach of a messenger with good tidings ( Is 52:7 , 8 ); the good tidings of the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon, prefiguring the return from the present dispersion (compare Is 21:6-11; 56: 10 ; Eze 3:17 ; 33:7 ). The watches in the East are announced by a loud cry to mark the vigilance of the watchmen. ye that ... mention ... Lord-- Hebrew, "ye that are the Lord's remembrancers"; God's servants who by their prayers "put God in remembrance" of His promises ( Is 43:26 ); we are required to remind God, as if God could, which He cannot, forget His promises ( Psa 119:49 ; Jr 14:21 ).
7. no rest-- Hebrew, "silence"; keep not silence yourselves, nor let Him rest in silence. Compare as to Messiah Himself, "I will not hold ... peace ... not rest" ( Is 62:1 ); Messiah's watchmen ( Is 62:6 , 7 ) imitate Him ( Is 62:1 ) in intercessory "prayer without ceasing" for Jerusalem ( Psa 122:6 ; 51:18 ); also for the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church ( Lu 18:1 , 7 ; Ro 1:9 ). a praise-- (See on Is 61:11 ; Zep 3:20 ).
8. sworn by ... right hand-- His mighty instrument of accomplishing His will (compare Is 45:23 ; He 6:13 ). sons of ... stranger-- Foreigners shall no more rob thee of the fruit of thy labors (compare Is 65:21 , 22 ).
9. eat ... and praise-- not consume it on their own lusts, and without thanksgiving. drink it in ... courts-- They who have gathered the vintage shall drink it at the feasts held in the courts surrounding the temple ( De 12:17 , 18 ; 14:23 , &c.).
10. What Isaiah in the person of Messiah had engaged in ( Is 62:1 ) unrestingly to seek, and what the watchmen were unrestingly to pray for ( Is 62:7 ), and what Jehovah solemnly promised ( Is 62:8 , 9 ), is now to be fulfilled; the Gentile nations are commanded to "go through the gates" (either of their own cities [Rosenmuller] or of Jerusalem [Maurer]), in order to remove all obstacles out of "the way of the people (Israel)" (see on Is 7:14 ; Is 40:3 ; 52:10-12 ). standard-- for the dispersed Jews to rally round, with a view to their return ( Is 49:22 ; 11:12 ).
11. salvation-- embodied in the Saviour (see Zec 9:9 ). his work-- rather, recompense ( Is 40:10 ).