Isaiah 26:16

LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. LORD, IN TROUBLE HAVE THEY VISITED (i:e., sought) THEE, THEY POURED OUT A PRAYER () - as a vessel emptying out all its contents. PRAYER (Hebrew, lachash-literally, a whispered prayer, margin, 'secret speech;' a secret sighing to God for help (cf. ; )....

16._O Jehovah, in tribulation they have visited thee. _This might be explained as relating to hypocrites, who never flee to God but when they have been constrained by distresses and afflictions. But since the Lord instructs believers also by chastisements, as the Prophet formerly shewed, (Isaiah 26:8,) I choose rather to refer it simply to them, that not only they may know that God has justly punished them, but that the bitterness of the afflictions may likewise be sweetened by the good result of the chastisement, and that they may be better instructed in the fear of the Lord, and may profit more and more every day. Isaiah therefore speaks in the person of the Church, that whenever godly men read this statement, they might acknowledge that amidst their distresses and afflictions they were nearer to God than when they enjoyed prosperity, by means of which almost always (such is the de

12-19 Every creature, every business, any way serviceable to our comfort, God makes to be so; he makes that work for us which seemed to make against us. They had been slaves of sin and Satan; but by the Divine grace they were taught to look to be set free from all former masters. The cause opposed to God and his kingdom will sink at last. See our need of afflictions. Before, prayer came drop by drop; now they pour it out, it comes now like water from a fountain. Afflictions bring us to secret prayer. Consider Christ as the Speaker addressing his church. His resurrection from the dead was an earnest of all the deliverance foretold. The power of his grace, like the dew or rain, which causes the herbs that seem dead to revive, would raise his church from the lowest state. But we may refer to the resurrection of the dead, especially of those united to Christ....

Verse Isaiah 26:16. _LORD, IN TROUBLE HAVE THEY VISITED THEE_ - "O JEHOVAH, in affliction we have sought thee"] So the _Septuagint_ and two MSS. have פקדנוך _pekadnucha_, in the first person plural. And so perhaps it should be צקנו _tsaknu_, in the first person; but how the _Septuagint_ read this word is not clear; and this last member of the verse is extremely obscure. For למו lamo, "on them," the _Septuagint_ read לנו _lanu_, "on us," in the first person likewise; a frequent mistake; Isaiah 10:29....

POURED OUT A PRAYER - Margin, ‘Secret speech.’ The Hebrew word לחשׁ _lachash_ means properly a whispering, muttering; and thru a sighing, a calling for help. This is the sense here. In their calamity they sighed, and called on God for help....

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 26:1 A SONG OF THE REDEEMED IN MOUNT ZION. The prophet, having (in Isaiah 25:1.) poured forth his own thankfulness to God for the promise of the Church's final redemption and triumph, proceeds now to represent the Church itself in the glorified state as singing praise to God for the same. ISAIAH 26:1 IN THAT DAY. In the "day of God" (2 Peter 3:12), the period of the "restitution of all things" ...

LORD, IN TROUBLE HAVE THEY VISITED THEE,.... This, and the two following verses Isaiah 26:17, represent the troubles and disappointments of the church and people of God, before the destruction of antichrist; in which time of trouble they will visit the Lord, frequent the throne of grace, as saints in afflictions are wont to do; and sometimes this is the end to be answered by afflictions, Hosea 5:15: THEY POURED OUT A PRAYER; or "muttering" e; they will pray with a low voice, in an humble and submissive way, as persons in dejected circumstances; not a few words, but many, will they use; their petitions will be numerous; they will continue praying, and be constant at it, and out of the abundance of their hearts their mouth will speak; and they will pour out their souls and their complaints to t

Isaiah 26:1. _In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah;_ God would have his people to be a singing people. They often sigh; they should oftener sing. God makes their songs, and appoints the song for the day, and so helps them to cheer the darkest day with some melodious music. Isaiah 26:1. _We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks._ Jerusalem may fall, her walls may be destroyed till not one stone is left upon another; but still, «we have a strong city.» In the salvation of God, we live and are safe. Our place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks. The eternal purposes of God shall guard the safety of his people. Isaiah 26:2.

CHAPTER 26 JUDAH'S GLORY SONG 1. _Praise for Jehovah's faithfulness and mercies (Isaiah 26:1)_ 2. _The experiences of waiting during the night (Isaiah 26:7)_ 3. _The assurance of peace and deliverance (Isaiah 26:12)_ 4. _Assurance of restoration and preservation (Isaiah 26:19) _ We call attention to verses 12-21. Annihilationists base upon these words the evil doctrine that the wicked are not raised, but destroyed. The fact, however, is that Isaiah 26:13 and...

MEMORIES AND ANTICIPATIONS. The poem, which is a very elaborate composition, seems to have been written in confident expectation of deliverance, though the actual situation is still one of distress. Jerusalem has been made impregnable, let the righteous enter in. The unwavering mind is kept by God in unbroken peace (_cf. mg.)._ He is worthy of trust, for He is an everlasting rock; He has laid low the exalted city, the afflicted Jews trample it under foot. The way of the just is made smooth. The manifestation of Yahweh's judgment has been eagerly awaited, for the world's inhabitants will learn righteousness when Yahweh's judgments are in the land. The unrighteous shall not find favour, for they have not learnt righteousness. Though Yahweh's hand is lifted, they fail to see it. See it they shall, and be confounded and destroyed. He alone has secured their peace. Other masters have ruled th...