13 Shout for joy , O heavens ! And rejoice , O earth ! Break forth into joyful shouting , O mountains ! For the Lord has comforted His people And will have compassion on His afflicted . 14 But Zion said , "The Lord has forsaken me, And the Lord has forgotten me." 15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb ? Even these may forget , but I will not forget you. 16 "Behold , I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. 17 "Your builders hurry ; Your destroyers and devastators Will depart from you.
18 " Lift up your eyes and look around ; All of them gather together, they come to you. As I live ," declares the Lord , "You will surely put on all of them as jewels and bind them on as a bride . 19 "For your waste and desolate places and your destroyed land - Surely now you will be too cramped for the inhabitants , And those who swallowed you will be far away. 20 "The children of whom you were bereaved will yet say in your ears , 'The place is too cramped for me; Make room for me that I may live here.' 21 "Then you will say in your heart , 'Who has begotten these for me, Since I have been bereaved of my children And am barren , an exile and a wanderer ? And who has reared these ? Behold , I was left alone ; From where did these come?' " 22 Thus says the Lord GOD , "Behold , I will lift up My hand to the nations And set up My standard to the peoples ; And they will bring your sons in their bosom , And your daughters will be carried on their shoulders . 23 " Kings will be your guardians , And their princesses your nurses . They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth And lick the dust of your feet ; And you will know that I am the Lord ; Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 49:13-23
Commentary on Isaiah 49:13-17
(Read Isaiah 49:13-17)
Let there be universal joy, for God will have mercy upon the afflicted, because of his compassion; upon his afflicted, because of his covenant. We have no more reason to question his promise and grace, than we have to question his providence and justice. Be assured that God has a tender affection for his church and people; he would not have them to be discouraged. Some mothers do neglect their children; but God's compassions to his people, infinitely exceed those of the tenderest parents toward their children. His setting them as a mark on his hand, or a seal upon his arm, denotes his being ever mindful of them. As far as we have scriptural evidence that we belong to his ransomed flock, we may be sure that he will never forsake us. Let us then give diligence to make our calling and election sure, and rejoice in the hope and glory of God.
Commentary on Isaiah 49:18-23
(Read Isaiah 49:18-23)
Zion is addressed as an afflicted widow, bereaved of her children. Numbers flock to her, and she is assured that they come to be a comfort to her. There are times when the church is desolate and few in number; yet its desolations shall not last for ever, and God will repair them. God can raise up friends for returning Israelites, even among Gentiles. They shall bring their children, and make them thy children. Let all deal tenderly and carefully with young converts and beginners in religion. Princes shall protect the church. It shall appear that God is the sovereign Lord of all. And those who in the exercise of faith, hope, and patience, wait on God for the fulfilment of his promises, shall never be confounded.