And He saw that there was no man
God, man’s great Redeemer
Do not let us suppose this is mere poetry.
Conceive what inspires it,--the great truth that in the Infinite there is a heart to throb for men, and a will to strike for them. This is what the writer desires to proclaim, and what we believe the Spirit of God moved his poor human lips to give their own shape to,--the simple truth that there is One, however hidden He may be to men’s eyes, who feels for men, who feels hotly for men, and whose will is quick and urgent to save them. (Prof. G. A. Smith, D. D.)
“He wondered that there was no intercessor”
“He stood aghast that there was no one interposing.” The common version (“wondered”), though substantially correct, is too weak to express the full force of the Hebrew word, which strictly means to be desolate, and is used in reference to persons for the purpose of expressing an extreme degree of horror and astonishment. (J. A. Alexander.)
Prophetic certainty
That the whole description refers to a future event can hardly be questioned. The perfects in this verse (Isaiah 59:16) and the next are those of prophetic certainty. (Prof. J. Skinner, D. D.)