13 Sing, O heavens, and joy, O earth, And break forth, O mountains, with singing, For comforted hath Jehovah His people, And His afflicted ones He doth pity. 14 And Zion saith, 'Jehovah hath forsaken me, And my Lord hath forgotten me.' 15 Forget doth a woman her suckling, The loved one—the son of her womb? Yea, these forget—but I—I forget not thee. 16 Lo, on the palms of the hand I have graven thee, Thy walls 'are' before Me continually. 17 Hastened have those building thee, Those destroying thee, and laying thee waste, go out from thee.
18 Lift up round about thine eyes and see, All of them have been gathered, They have come to thee. I live, an affirmation of Jehovah! Surely all of them as an ornament thou puttest on, And thou bindest them on like a bride. 19 Because thy wastes, and thy desolate places, And the land of thy ruins, Surely now are straitened because of inhabitants, And far off have been those consuming thee. 20 Again do the sons of thy bereavement say in thine ears: 'The place is too strait for me, Come nigh to me—and I dwell.' 21 And thou hast said in thy heart: 'Who hath begotten for me—these? And I bereaved and gloomy, A captive, and turned aside, And these—who hath nourished? Lo, I—I was left by myself, these—whence 'are' they? 22 Thus said the Lord Jehovah: 'Lo, I lift up unto nations My hand, And unto peoples I raise up Mine ensign, And they have brought thy sons in the bosom, And thy daughters on the shoulder are carried. 23 And kings have been thy nursing fathers, And their princesses thy nursing mothers; Face to the earth—they bow down to thee, And the dust of thy feet they lick up, And thou hast known that I 'am' Jehovah, That those expecting Me are not ashamed.
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.