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1 Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee: when thou shalt cease to spoile, thou shalt bee spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deale treacherously, they shall deale treacherously with thee.
2 O Lord, be gratious vnto vs, we haue waited for thee: be thou their arme euery morning, our saluation also in the time of trouble.
3 At the noise of the tumult the people fled: at the lifting vp of thy selfe the nations were scattered.
4 And your spoile shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpiller: as the running to and fro of Locusts shall he runne vpon them.
5 The Lord is exalted: for hee dwelleth on high, he hath filled Zion with iudgement and righteousnesse.
6 And wisedome and knowledge shall be the stabilitie of thy times, and strength of saluation: the feare of the Lord is his treasure.
7 Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadours of peace shall weepe bitterly.
8 The high wayes lye waste; the way faring man ceaseth: he hath broken the couenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.
9 The earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewen downe: Sharon is like a wildernes, and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.
10 Now will I rise, saith the Lord: now will I be exalted, now will I lift vp my selfe.
11 Yee shall conceiue chaffe, yee shall bring forth stubble: your breath as fire shall deuoure you.
12 And the people shalbe as the burnings of lyme: as thornes cut vp shall they be burnt in the fire.
13 ¶ Heare yee that are farre off, what I haue done; and yee that are neere, acknowledge my might.
14 The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearefulnesse hath surprised the hypocrites: who among vs shall dwell with the deuouring fire? who amongst vs shall dwell with euerlasting burnings?
15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh vprightly, hee that despiseth the gaine of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his eares from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing euill:
16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shalbe the munitions of rocks, bread shalbe giuen him, his waters shall be sure.
17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very farre off.
18 Thine heart shall meditate terrour; Where is the scribe? where is the receiuer? where is he that counted the towres?
19 Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech then thou canst perceiue; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not vnderstand.
20 Looke vpon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Ierusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken downe, not one of the stakes thereof shall euer be remoued, neither shall any of the coardes thereof be broken.
21 But there the glorious Lord will be vnto vs a place of broad riuers and streames; wherein shall goe no galley with oares, neither shall gallant ship passe thereby.
22 For the Lord is our Iudge, the Lord is our Lawgiuer, the Lord is our King, he wil saue vs.
23 Thy tacklings are loosed: they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the saile: then is the praye of a great spoile diuided, the lame take the praye.
24 And the inhabitant shall not say; I am sicke: the people that dwel therein shalbe forgiuen their iniquitie.
God's judgments against the enemies of his church. (1-14) The happiness of his people. (15-24)1-14 Here we have the proud and false destroyer justly reckoned with for all his fraud and violence. The righteous God often pays sinners in their own coin. Those who by faith humbly wait for God, shall find him gracious to them; as the day, so let the strength be. If God leaves us to ourselves any morning, we are undone; we must every morning commit ourselves to him, and go forth in his strength to do the work of the day. When God arises, his enemies are scattered. True wisdom and knowledge lead to strength of salvation, which renders us stedfast in the ways of God; and true piety is the only treasure which can never be plundered or spent. The distress Jerusalem was brought into, is described. God's time to appear for his people, is, when all other helpers fail. Let all who hear what God has done, acknowledge that he can do every thing. Sinners in Zion will have much to answer for, above other sinners. And those that rebel against the commands of the word, cannot take its comforts in time of need. His wrath will burn those everlastingly who make themselves fuel for it. It is a fire that shall never be quenched, nor ever go out of itself; it is the wrath of an ever-living God preying on the conscience of a never-dying soul.
15-24 The true believer watches against all occasions of sin. The Divine power will keep him safe, and his faith in that power will keep him easy. He shall want nothing needful for him. Every blessing of salvation is freely bestowed on all that ask with humble, believing prayer; and the believer is safe in time and for ever. Those that walk uprightly shall not only have bread given, and their water sure, but they shall, by faith, see the King of kings in his beauty, the beauty of holiness. The remembrance of the terror they were in, shall add to the pleasure of their deliverance. It is desirable to be quiet in our own houses, but much more so to be quiet in God's house; and in every age Christ will have a seed to serve him. Jerusalem had no large river running by it, but the presence and power of God make up all wants. We have all in God, all we need, or can desire. By faith we take Christ for our Prince and Saviour; he reigns over his redeemed people. All that refuse to have Him to reign over them, make shipwreck of their souls. Sickness is taken away in mercy, when the fruit of it is the taking away of sin. If iniquity be taken away, we have little reason to complain of outward affliction. This last verse leads our thoughts, not only to the most glorious state of the gospel church on earth, but to heaven, where no sickness or trouble can enter. He that blotteth out our transgressions, will heal our souls.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.