21 It pleased the Lordfor the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious.
21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
21 The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious.
21 God intended, out of the goodness of his heart, to be lavish in his revelation.
21 The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness' sake; He will exalt the law and make it honorable.
21 Because he is righteous, the Lord has exalted his glorious law.
24 They will say of me, 'In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength.' " All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame.
24 Surely, shall one say,
24 "Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him.
24 'Yes! Salvation and strength are in God!'" All who have raged against him will be brought before him, disgraced by their unbelief.
24 He shall say, 'Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him.
24 The people will declare, "The Lord is the source of all my righteousness and strength." And all who were angry with him will come to him and be ashamed.
(Read Isaiah 45:20-25)
The nations are exhorted to draw near to Jehovah. None besides is able to help; he is the Saviour, who can save without the assistance of any, but without whom none can save. If the heart is brought into the obedience of Christ, the knee will cheerfully obey his commands. To Christ men shall come from every nation for blessings; all that hate his cause shall be put to shame, and all believers shall rejoice in him as their Friend and Portion. All must come to him: may we now come to him as the Lord our Righteousness, walking according to his commandments.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 42:21
Commentary on Isaiah 42:18-25
(Read Isaiah 42:18-25)
Observe the call given to this people, and the character given of them. Multitudes are ruined for want of observing that which they cannot but see; they perish, not through ignorance, but carelessness. The Lord is well-pleased in the making known his own righteousness. For their sins they were spoiled of all their possessions. This fully came to pass in the destruction of the Jewish nation. There is no resisting, nor escaping God's anger. See the mischief sin makes; it provokes God to anger. And those not humbled by lesser judgments, must expect greater. Alas! how many professed Christians are blind as the benighted heathen! While the Lord is well-pleased in saving sinners through the righteousness of Christ he will also glorify his justice, by punishing all proud despisers. Seeing God has poured out his wrath on his once-favoured people, because of their sins, let us fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of us should be found to come short of it.