Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

THE XII. CHAPTER.

Vers. 1. And thou shalt say in that day; O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thy wrath is turned away, and thou^* comfortest me.

1. *Or, thou wilt comfort.

Isaiah now exhorts all §1the faithful to render thanks to God: although the exhortation §2hath also this drift; to wit, that they should give the greater credit unto Gods promise. For he hath sealed it up as it were unto them by this exhortation; to the end they should assure themselves that it is unmoveable. As also that they should not imagine that the Prophet meant to feed them up with a vain hope, when he put this form of thanksgiving as it were into their mouths: which thanks, they could not have given, unless the occasion thereof had been both sure and steadfast. §3In this song also he shows why it is that God doth good to his Church; to wit, that the memory of his blessed name might be magnified; not that he needs any of our praises, but because this is profitable unto our selves. For we ought diligently to consider, what honour he doth us when he vouchsafes to serve himself of our endeavours, in the magnifying and publishing his glorious name; we notwithstanding being such unprofitable, yea altogether unprofitable servants. The Prophet in this song addresseth himself in general to all the people, even as if he spake to one man: