Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Vers. 9. O ye desolate places of Jerusalem, be glad and rejoice together: for the Lord hath comforted his people: he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

Vers. 9. O yee desolate places of Ierusalem, bee glad and reioice together: for the Lord hath comforted his people: he hath redeemed Ierusalem.

HE exhorts the faithful to thanksgiving.¹ But his special drift is to confirm their hearts in the expectation and assurance of this salvation, as if the enjoying of the thing called them presently to thankfulness. For the truth is, we are too little affected when the Lord protests that he will assist us: yea, we think he doth but mock us, unless he effect that which he hath promised.² The Prophets therefore are wont to insist very much upon this point, namely, in confirming the peoples harts, & in setting their deliverance as it were ⟨p. 549⟩before their eyes. Now howsoever it seems auk and absurd to call to songs of joy in the time of heaviness, as in Psal. 137.4. yet we have formerly showed, that this manner of speech is very fit to awaken such as groan under the burden of care, fear, or sorrow. He mentions the deserts, or desolate places of Jerusalem, to the end they should hope for the re-edifying thereof, notwithstanding she now lay in the dust: for this title agrees better for the removing away of fear, then if he had called her an happy or flourishing city. From the time then that she fell into this most miserable estate, they would have thought these promises had concerned them nothing at all, unless the miseries against which they were to encounter had bin manifested unto them. It also taught them to wait for this restoration •n assured hope, though they now saw nothing but horrible ruins, and desolations.