The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.
The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge - or thorn: pricking with injury all who come in contact with them (2 Samuel 23:6-7; Isaiah 55:13. Hence, the promise in the renewed earth is, "Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;" Ezekiel 2:6).
The day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh - the day foretold by thy (true) prophets as the time of "thy visitation" in wrath (Grotius). Or, 'the day of thy false prophets being punished;' they are specially threatened, as being not only blind themselves, but leading others, blindfold (Calvin). Now - at the time foretold, 'at that time:' the prophet transporting himself into it.
Shall be their perplexity - (Isaiah 22:5). They shall not know where to turn to.