Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.
Ver. 6. Therefore turn thou to thy God] The premises considered, repent; and so return to God, from whom thou hast deeply revolted. It is "to thy God" to whom thou art exhorted to turn; not to a tyrant, but to a God in covenant; yea, it is "with thy God" (as the Hebrew hath it), with his good help, that thou shalt turn. Only cry unto him, Turn us, Lord, and we shall be turned, draw us, and we will run after thee. Of turning to the Lord see the note on Zechariah 1:3 .
Keep mercy and judgment] Those magnalia legis, those weightier matters of the law (as our Saviour calleth them, Mat 23:23) which Ephraim had made light of, Hos 4:1 He is therefore called upon to evidence the truth of his turning to God, by bringing forth fruits meet for repentance, Matthew 3:8, such as are tantamount, and weigh just as much as repentance comes to. Optima et aptissima poenitentia est nova vita, saith Luther; The best and most fit repentance is a new life, universal obedience to both tables of the law. Mercy and judgment are here put (by a figure) for the duties of the second table; as constant waiting upon God for the duties of the first; for the prophet here observeth not the order of nature, but of our knowledge, when he instanceth first in the second table, as doth also the prophet Micah, Hosea 6:8. Mercy must be kept and exercised, by 1. Giving, 2. Forgiving (donando, condonando). This, God prefers before sacrifice, Hosea 6:7. This, Chrysostom saith, is a more glorious work than to raise from the dead. And here let those that would keep mercy (and not show it only sometimes, when they are in a good mood) steep their thoughts in the mercies of God; and so strive to be merciful, as their heavenly Father is, Matthew 6:24,34. Judgment also must be kept, and justice done, Isaiah 56:1, after the example of God, who is said to "exercise lovingkindness," but with all "judgment and righteousness in the earth," Jeremiah 9:24. "Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful," Psalms 116:5 : the mixture of mercy and judgment is very comely; as in public persons, Psalms 101:1 (where we see that David's ditty was composed of discords, which made an excellent harmony), so in others of all sorts, Proverbs 21:21, who are required to be mercifully just and justly merciful in all their interdealings; according to that golden rule, given by our Saviour, Luke 6:31, "Whatever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye to them likewise." This is the standard.
And wait on thy God continually] First, believe him to be thy God by a particular individuating faith; and then thou wilt be easily drawn to wait upon him, who waiteth to be gracious; or to draw near unto him (as the Seventy here render it, εγγιζε), and "come boldly to the throne of grace," Hebrews 4:16; for as the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat were never separated, so neither is the mercy of God from those that are in covenant with him, and can truly call him theirs. Hope is compared to a line (the same Hebrew word that signifieth the one signifieth the other), and waiting on God is nothing else but hope and trust lengthened or drawn out. Sure it is that trust in God at length will triumph; and all his dispensations will appear beautiful in their season. Hold out therefore faith and patience. "Wait upon the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart: wait, I say, upon the Lord," Psalms 27:14. Ponder that sweet promise, Habakkuk 2:3, not delivered only, but doubled and trebled for more surety. And then consider, first, thy distance from God in worth and degree; next, thy dependence upon him, thine undone condition if he desert thee and then thou wilt be content to wait upon him continually, to stay his leisure, as David did for the kingdom, and as those in Esther did for deliverance; to say with those good souls in the Acts, "The will of the Lord be done."