And in that day - The day referred to in the previous chapter, the time of the Messiah, when the effects of his reign shall be seen everywhere. The duty of praise, however, is couched in such language as to make it applicable to the event predicted in the former part of the prophecy Isaiah 10 - the delivering of the nation from the invasion of Sennacherib, as well as the more glorious event on which the prophet fixed his eye Isaiah 11 - the coming and reign of the Messiah. The language of this song of praise would be appropriate to both these events.

Thou shalt say - The address to an individual here, in the term 'thou,' is equivalent to "everyone," meaning that "all" who were thus interested in the divine interposition should say it.

O Lord - O Yahweh - the great author of this interposition.

I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me - If this language is applied to the Jews, and supposed to be used by them in regard to the invasion of Sennacherib, it means, that God suffered their land to be invaded, and to be subjected to calamities, in consequence of their sins (Isaiah 10:6 ff.) If it is supposed to be applied to the time of the Messiah, then it is language which every redeemed sinner may use, that God was angry with him, but that his anger is turned away. As applicable to the redeemed, it is an acknowledgement which they all feel, that they have no claim to his mercy, and that it lays the foundation for unceasing praise that his anger is turned away by the plan of salvation.

Though thou wast angry "For though thou hast been angry" - The Hebrew phrase, to which the Septuagint and Vulgate have too closely adhered, is exactly the same with that of St. Paul, Romans 6:17 : "But thanks be to God, that ye were the slaves of sin; but have obeyed from the heart;" that is, "that whereas, or though, ye were the slaves of sin, yet ye have now obeyed from the heart the doctrine on the model of which ye were formed."

And in that day thou shalt say,.... The following song of praise; just as Israel did, when they were brought through the Red sea, and saved out of the hands of their enemies; to which there are several allusions and references in it; that deliverance being typical of salvation by Christ; the Gospel day, or the times of the Gospel, are here meant:

O Lord, I will praise thee; or "confess thee"; to be my Lord, Redeemer, and Saviour, my Husband, Head, and King; or "confess to thee" (q), my sins and transgressions, and unworthiness to receive any favour from thee, and gratefully acknowledge all the favours bestowed upon me:

though thou wast angry with me; as it appeared to the church, and according to her apprehensions of things, though not in reality, or strictly or properly speaking; for anger is not to be ascribed to God; but it is a speaking after the manner of men; and the Lord seems to be angry when he hides his face from his people, when he refuses to hear their cries, when he afflicts them, and continues his hand upon them, and when he lets in a sense of wrath into their consciences:

thine anger is turned away; he granting his gracious presence; taking off his afflicting hand; manifesting his love, particularly his pardoning grace and mercy; peace and reconciliation being made by the blood of Christ, and justice satisfied, the effects of resentment and displeasure cease:

and thou comfortedst me; by shedding abroad his love in her heart; by discovering the free and full forgiveness of sin; by lifting up the light of his countenance; by an application of precious promises; and by means of the word and ordinances, through the influence of the blessed Spirit as a comforter; who leads in this way for comfort to the person, blood, righteousness, sacrifice, and fulness of Christ, and comforts with these, by applying them, and showing interest in them. The Targum is,

"and thou shalt say at that time, I will confess before the Lord; for that I have sinned before thee, thine anger is upon me; but when I am turned to the law, thine anger will turn from me, and thou wilt have mercy on me;''

or rather turned to Christ, and embrace his Gospel, which is the only way to have comfort.

(q) "confitebor tibi", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus.

As Israel, when redeemed from Egypt beyond the Red Sea, sang songs of praise, so also will the Israel of the second redemption, when brought, in a no less miraculous manner, across the Red Sea and the Euphrates. "And in that day thou wilt say, I thank Thee, O Jehovah, that Thou wast angry with me: Thine anger is turned away, and Thou hast comforted me. Behold, the God of my salvation; I trust, and am not afraid: for Jah Jehovah is my pride and song, and He became my salvation." The words are addressed to the people of the future in the people of the prophet's own time. They give thanks for the wrath experienced, inasmuch as it was followed by all the richer consolation. The formation of the sentence after כּי is paratactic; the principal tone falls upon 1b, where yâshōb is written poetically for vayyâshob (cf., Deuteronomy 32:8, Deuteronomy 32:18; Psalm 18:12; Hosea 6:1). We hear the notes of Psalm 90:13; Psalm 27:1, resounding here; whilst Isaiah 12:2 is the echo of Exodus 15:2 (on which Psalm 118:14 is also founded). עזי (to be read ‛ozzi, and therefore also written עזי) is another form of עזּי, and is used here to signify the proud self-consciousness associated with the possession of power: pride, and the expression of it, viz., boasting. Zimrath is equivalent in sense, and probably also in form, to zimrâti, just as in Syriac zemori (my song) is regularly pronounced zemōr, with the i of the suffix dropped (see Hupfeld on Psalm 16:6). It is also possible, however, that it may be only an expansion of the primary form zimrath equals zimrâh, and therefore that zimrath is only synonymous with zimrâti, as chēphetz in 2 Samuel 23:5 is with chephtzi. One thing peculiar to this echo of Exodus 15:2 is the doubling of the Jah in Jâh Jehōvâh, which answers to the surpassing of the type by the antitype.

And in that day thou {a} shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thy anger is turned away, and thou didst comfort me.

(a) He shows how the Church will praise God, when they are delivered from their captivity.

12:1 In that day - When this great work of the reduction of Israel, and conversion of the Gentiles is fulfilled.

CHAPTER 12

Isa 12:1-6. Thanksgiving Hymn of the Restored and Converted Jews.

Just as Miriam, after the deliverance of the Red Sea (Isa 11:16), celebrated it with an ode of praise (Ex 15:1-19).

12:10-16 When the gospel should be publicly preached, the Gentiles would seek Christ Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and find rest of soul. When God's time is come for the deliverance of his people, mountains of opposition shall become plains before him. God can soon turn gloomy days into glorious ones. And while we expect the Lord to gather his ancient people, and bring them home to his church, also to bring in the fulness of the Gentiles, when all will be united in holy love, let us tread the highway of holiness he has made for his redeemed. Let us wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life, looking to him to prepare our way through death, that river which separates this world from the eternal world.