Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
Ver. 19. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee] Heb. Behold me; look not to thyself as unworthy or unlikely to inherit such precious promises; for, "not for your sakes do this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you; but for mine own holy name's sake," Ezekiel 36:22; Ezekiel 36:32 : your unworthiness shall serve for a foil to set forth the freeness of my love; your unlikeliness the greatness of my power; "my grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is perfected in thy weakness," 2 Corinthians 12:9. Again, look not to thine enemies, how many and mighty they are, how witty and wealthy, how active and combined (loricatus incedit Satan et cataphractus, saith Luther), let thine eyes be upon me, as Jehoshaphat's were, when he knew not whither else to look, 2 Chronicles 20:12; let thine heart be lift up in my ways, as his was, 2 Chronicles 17:6; behold me, behold me, Isaiah 65:1. Look not downward on the rushing and roaring streams of miseries and troubles which run so swiftly under thee, for then thou wilt be giddy; but look upward, and steadfastly fasten on my power and promise; believe in the Lord thy God, so shalt thou be established; believe his prophets, so shalt thou prosper, 2 Chronicles 20:20; thine enemies also shall be found liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places, Deuteronomy 33:29. I will undo them, saith God here; Heb. I will do them (per antiphrasin); or, I will bruise them and break them in pieces, as R. David rendereth it, by comparing Ezekiel 23:3; Ezekiel 23:21. I will not only repress them, but root them out. Those that offer violence to the Church, like blind Samson, they lay hands upon their pillars, to pluck the house upon their own heads.
And I will save her that halteth] As enemies shall not hinder the Church's happiness, so neither shall her own infirmities. Grant she be lame and luxated, maimed and disjointed, so that she goeth sidling and halteth downright, Psalms 38:17; say she be driven out of her country as an exile, out of all companies, as an outcast (whom no man seeketh after, Jer 30:17), and out of all good conceit of herself, as an abject, vile in her own eyes not fit for the communion of saints or kingdom of heaven; yet I will save her, I will gather her, like as the gathering host in the wilderness see Jos 6:9 took up the lame, feeble and those that were left behind, see Micah 4:6, See Trapp on " Mic 4:6 " and Ezekiel 32:16; I will seek that which was lost and reduce that which was driven away.
And I will get them praise and fame in every land, &c.] So that glorious things shall be spoken of thee, O city of God; as thy sin shall be remitted, so thy name shall be healed thy fame spread, per ora hominum volitabis I will fashion men's opinions of thee, so that those that formerly shamed and shunned thee shall highly esteem thee, and stand for thee.