Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 12

Verse 1

And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.

Just as Miriam, after the deliverance of the Red Sea (Isaiah 11:15-16), celebrated it with an ode of praise, (Ex

15.)

Verse 2

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

The Lord JEHOVAH - Hebrew, Yah, Yahweh. The repetition of the name denotes emphasis, and the unchangeableness of God's character.

(Is) my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation - derived from Exodus 15:2; Psalms 118:14. The idea of salvation was peculiarly associated with the Feast of Tabernacles (see Isaiah 12:3). Hence, the cry "Hosanna," Save, we beseech thee, that accompanied Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:9: cf. with Psalms 118:25-26): the earnest of the perfected "salvation" which He shall bring to His people at His glorious second appearance at Jerusalem (Hebrews 9:28, "He shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation"). Compare Revelation 21:3, "the tabernacle of God is with men:" cf. Luke 9:33, "three tabernacles: one for thee," etc. (the transfiguration being a pledge of the future kingdom) (Psalms 118:15, "The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous;" Zechariah 14:16, "everyone that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles").

As the Jew was reminded by the feast of tabernacles of his wanderings in tents in the wilderness, so the Jew-Gentile Church to come shall call to mind, with thanksgiving, the various past ways whereby God has at last brought them to the heavenly "city of habitation" (Psalms 107:7). As branches of palms were taken on the first day of the feast with rejoicing, so shall the "multitude which no man can number, stand before the throne, and before the Lamb," with "palms in their hands" (Revelation 7:9). Since the Passover feast has its Christian antitype in Easter, the commemoration of Christ's resurrection, which succeeds the day of commemoration of the sacrifice of Christ's death; and Pentecost has its antitype in Whitsunday, the feast commemorating the gift of the Holy Spirit, so the Feast of Tabernacles, the third great feast, shall have its antitype in the Millennial reign of Christ and His saints over Israel, settled again in her fatherland, and over the nations, when the harvest-home of the elect Church shall be complete, and Israel shall keep her harvest-home feast in her own land, after her long wilderness-like wanderings.

Verse 3

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation - an expressive image in a hot country. On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles the Jews used to bring water in a golden pitcher from the fountain of Siloam, and pour it, mingled with wine, on the sacrifice on the altar with great rejoicing. This is the allusion in Jesus' words on "the last day of the feast" (John 7:2; John 7:37-39). The pouring out of water indicated repentance (1 Samuel 7:6: cf., as to the Jews' repentance hereafter, Zechariah 12:10). There shall be a latter outpouring of the Spirit like the former one on Pentecost (Joel 2:23).

Wells - not mere streams, which may run dry, but ever-flowing fountains (John 4:14; John 7:38, "out of his belly

(i:e., in and from himself) shall flow rivers of living water;" Isaiah 41:18; Psalms 84:6; Zechariah 13:1; Revelation 7:17).

Verse 4

And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

Make mention - Hebrew, cause it to be remembered.

Verse 5

Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

Sing unto the Lord - alluding to Exodus 15:21.

Verse 6

Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

Shout, thou inhabitant of Zion - Hebrew, inhabitress; so 'daughter of Zion' - i:e., Zion and its people.

For great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee - of Jerusalem literally (Jeremiah 3:17; Ezekiel 48:35, "the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there;" Zephaniah 3:15; Zephaniah 3:17; Zechariah 2:10).

Remarks: Every member of the spiritual lsrael echoes from the heart this song of thanksgiving-once "thou wast angry with me," because my sin was unpardoned; but now, through faith in Christ, I know that "thine anger is turned away" (Isaiah 12:1). Having the 'comfort' of thy Spirit witnessing within me, that I am a child of God, "I will trust and not be afraid." This in a special sense shall be the thanksgiving of Israel, when her people shall welcome Messiah, whom they have so long rejected, and shall say "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord."