A NEW SONG FOR NEW HEARTS
Isaiah 12:1. And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, &c.
This prophecy is said by some to relate to the invasion by Sennacherib, and the marvellous deliverance therefrom. If so, it is an instance of sanctified affliction, and a lesson to us that whenever we smart under the rod we may look forward to the time when it shall be withdrawn; it is also an admonition to us, that when we escape from trial we should take care to celebrate the event with grateful praise. It is thought by others that the text mainly relates to the latter days, and I think it would be impossible to read the eleventh chapter without feeling such a reference is clear. Both these interpretations are true and instructive; but we shall find out the very soul of the passage, if we consider it as an illustration of what occurs to every one of God’s people when he is brought out of darkness into God’s marvellous light, when he is delivered from the spirit of bondage beneath Divine wrath, and led by the Spirit of adoption into the liberty wherewith Christ makes him free. In regarding the text from this point of view, we shall first observe the prelude of this delightful song, and then listen to the song itself.
I. THE PRELUDE OF THIS CHARMING SONG—“In that day thou shalt say.” Here we have the tuning of the harps, the notes of the music follow after in the succeeding sentences. Note,
1. There is a time for the joyous song here recorded, “In that day”—the day of the manifestation of the Divine power.
2. One word indicates the singer. “Thou shalt say.” One by one we receive eternal life and peace. Religion is an individual matter. The word “thou” is spoken to those brought down into the last degree of despair. Thou broken-hearted sinner, ready to destroy thyself because of the anguish of conscience, in the day of God’s abounding mercy, thou shalt rejoice!
3. The Teacher of the song. “In that day thou shalt say.” Who but the Lord can thus command man’s heart and speech?
4. The tone of the song. “Thou shalt say.” The song is to be an open one, vocally uttered, heard of men. It is not to be a silent feeling, a kind of soft music whose sweetness is spent within the spirit; but in that day thou shalt testify and bear witness what the Lord has done for thee (H. E. I., 3903–3921).
II. THE SONG ITSELF.—
1. All of it is concerning the Lord; it is all addressed to Him. “O Lord, I will praise Thee: though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away.” When a soul is escaped from the bondage of sin, it resembles the apostles on Mount Tabor—it sees no man but Jesus only.
2. It includes repentant memories. The Hebrew would run something like this, “O Lord, I will praise Thee; Thou wast angry with me.” We do this day praise God because He made us feel His anger. “What, is a sense of anger a cause for praise?” No, not if it stood alone, but because it has driven us to Christ. The song in its deep bass includes plaintive recollections of sin pressing heavily on the spirit.
3. It contains blessed certainties. “Thine anger is turned away.” “Can a man know that? Can he be quite sure he is forgiven?” He can be as sure of pardon as he is of his existence, as infallibly certain as he is of a mathematical proposition. The Scriptures teach that to the sinner who trusts in Jesus there is no condemnation, and every one may know whether he is trusting in Jesus or not (H. E. I., 309, 310, 324–334, 986–989).
4. It includes holy resolutions. “I will praise Thee”—in secret, in public. For this purpose I will unite with Thy people. I will not be content unless all that I am and all that I have shall praise Thee.
5. It is a song which is peculiar in its characteristics, and appropriate only to the people of God. It is a song of strong faith, and yet of humility. Its spirit is a precious incense made up of many costly ingredients. Humility confesses, “Thou wast angry with me;” gratitude sings, “Thine anger is turned away;” patience cries, “Thou comfortest me,” and holy joy springs up, and saith, “I will praise Thee.” Faith, hope, love—all have their notes here, from the bass of humility up to the highest alto of glorious communion.
By way of practical results from this subject, let me speak,
1. A word of consolation to those who are under God’s anger. God never shut up a soul in the prison of conviction, but sooner or later He released the captive. The worst thing in the world is to go unchastised; to be allowed to sin and eat honey with it, this is the precursor of damnation; but to sin, and to have the wormwood of repentance with it, this is the prelude of being saved. If the Lord has embittered thy sin, He has designs of love towards thee; His anger shall yet be turned away.
2. A word of admonition. Some of you have been forgiven, but are you praising God as you should? (H. E. I., 3903–3911).—C. H. Spurgeon: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit (vol. xvi. pp. 241–250).
The preceding chapter relates to the reign of the Messiah; the end of it especially to the ingathering of the Jews—a period which will be the spiritual jubilee to the tribes of Israel, and the beginning of the millennium to the world itself. That is the day in which Israel shall say, “O Lord, I will praise thee,” &c. This passage may be applied also to every spiritual child of Abraham. Consider—
I. The previous state referred to. “Thou wast angry with me.” Anger in God is not, as it often is in us, a blind, furious passion; but a holy disapprobation of wrong, and a righteous determination to punish it (H. E. I., 2288–2294).
1. Man’s character and conduct, while in his natural state are such as justly to expose him to the Divine anger. What does God survey in the sinner? Ignorance, unbelief, envy, malevolence, impurity, &c. In his conduct, likewise, how much there is that must necessarily be displeasing to God!—ingratitude, disobedience, selfishness, abuse of long-suffering, the rejection of Christ.
2. No intelligent being need be in any doubt as to whether he is, or is not, an object of the Divine anger. The teaching of Scripture is clear (Psalms 7:11; Psalms 34:16, &c.) This is ratified by the workings of conscience. Let any one do good secretly, and contrast his state of mind with the feelings arising after the commission of secret evil.
3. The Divine anger is of all things to be deprecated. Remember what its effects have been upon impenitent sinners. Think of the old world; of Pharaoh and the Egyptians; of Sodom, &c. View them written in indelible and awful characters in the history of the Israelites. Nothing can resist it, alleviate it, or deliver from it.
II. The delightful change experienced.
1. The Divine displeasure is removed. “Anger turned away.” The cloud blotted out; no longer under condemnation, &c. This necessarily supposes a change in the creature. His enmity and opposition to God have ceased; he has seen the evil of sin; confessed and forsaken it; and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. A state of unbelief exposes us to the Divine wrath; a state of faith brings upon us His favour. God abhors the high and proud spirit; but He looks in pity on the lowly and contrite.
2. The Divine favour is enjoyed. “Thou comfortest me.” We cannot stand in a neutral state with respect to God. The instant His anger is removed, His favour is enjoyed. Guilt, remorse, the burden of sin, are gone; and in their stead there is a sweet assurance of acceptance with God. This comfort is real, not visionary; suitable, abiding, and inexpressibly precious; it is associated with all good, both in this life and that which is to come; it is the precursor of everlasting felicity.
III. The grateful return presented. “I will praise Thee.” Acceptable praise,
1. Includes the offering of a thankful heart. It must arise from within; it must be the expression of the affections of the soul. Heart gratitude is alone real, and that which God will receive.
2. It must be free and spontaneous. “I will.” Not I ought, or should, but “I will.”
3. It must be constant (Ephesians 5:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Psalms 34:1).
APPLICATION.—Let the text be
1. The test of our state. Can we use it? Is it so with us? Is God our reconciled friend?
2. The test of our spirit and conduct. Do we love and bless God? Is it our delight to do so?
3. Let it be attractive to the convicted, mourning sinner. There is a way to Divine peace, and to real and heavenly comfort. Christ is that way. Come now to God through Him.—Jabez Burns, D.D.: Pulpit Cyclopœdia (iii. 221–224).
In this verse we have a representation—
I. Of the natural condition of sinful men. An object of Divine anger.
1. The nature of the emotion described;
2. The cause of this anger;
3. How much it is to be feared. Unlike the anger of man it is changeless, and behind it is boundless wisdom and irresistible power.
II. Of the change effected in the state of believers by Divine grace. They are blessed,
1. By the removal of the Divine displeasure, effected by the work accomplished for them by the Son of God, and in them by the Holy Spirit.
2. In the enjoyment of Divine consolation.
III. Of the adoring thankfulness which the change demands and calls forth.
1. The individual character of the declaration: “Thou shalt say.”
2. The vocal proclamation: Thou “shalt say.” True gratitude is never silent (Psalms 66:16, &c.)
3. The delightful burden of the song.—George Smith, D.D.
In this verse we have three pictures. I. God angry with the sinner. II. God reconciled to the sinner. III. God comforting the sinner.—H. F. Walker.