For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.
Sing ... praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people. The people are urged with praises and prayers to supplicate for their universal restoration. Yahweh is represented in the context (Jeremiah 31:1; Jeremiah 31:8) as promising immediately to restore Israel. They therefore praise God for the restoration, being as certain of it as if it were actually accomplished; and at the same time pray for it, as prayer was a means to the desired end. Prayer does not move God to grant our wishes, but when God has determined to grant our wishes He puts it into our hearts to pray for the thing desired. Compare Psalms 102:13-17, as to the connection of Israel's restoration with the prayers of His people (Isaiah 62:1-6). With gladness for Jacob - on account of Jacob; on account of his approaching deliverance by Yahweh.
Among - for, i:e., on account of, would more exactly suit the parallelism to "for Jacob."
Chief of the nations - Israel, as the parallelism to "Jacob," proves (cf. Exodus 19:5; Psalms 135:4; Amos 6:1) God estimates the greatness of nations not by man's standard of material resources, but by His electing favour.