Awake, awake, &c. The prophet, by an elegant figure, addresses himself to God, to stir up and exert his power in behalf of his oppressed people, as he did in former times, when he delivered them out of the Egyptian bondage. Awake, as in the ancient days That is, act for us now as thou didst for our fathers formerly: repeat the wonders they have told us of. Art thou not it that cut Rahab Egypt, so called, here and elsewhere, for its pride or strength. And wounded the dragon Pharaoh, the Leviathan, as he is called, Psalms 74:13-14. Art thou not it that dried the sea Art thou not the same God, and as potent now as thou wast then? That made the depths a way for the ransomed, &c. For thy people, whom thou didst redeem and bring out of Egypt? Let thine arm be stretched out in our behalf; for it has done great things formerly in defence of the same cause, and we are sure it is neither shortened nor weakened. Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, &c. These words express the persuasion of the prophet, that as the Lord did these great things formerly, so he would certainly do the like again. See note on Isaiah 35:10.
Related Commentaries of Isaiah 51:9
Isaiah 51:9-11
9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?
10 Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?
11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.