16 And He seeth that there is no man, And is astonished that there is no intercessor, And His own arm giveth salvation to Him, And His righteousness—it sustained Him. 17 And He putteth on righteousness as a breastplate, And an helmet of salvation on His head, And He putteth on garments of vengeance 'for' clothing, And is covered, as 'with' an upper-robe, 'with' zeal. 18 According to deeds—so He repayeth. Fury to His adversaries, 'their' deed to His enemies, To the isles 'their' deed He repayeth. 19 And they fear from the west the name of Jehovah, And from the rising of the sun—His honour, When come in as a flood doth an adversary, The Spirit of Jehovah hath raised an ensign against him. 20 And come to Zion hath a redeemer, Even to captives of transgression in Jacob, An affirmation of Jehovah. 21 And I—this 'is' My covenant with them, said Jehovah, My Spirit that 'is' on thee, And My words that I have put in thy mouth, Depart not from thy mouth, And from the mouth of thy seed, And from the mouth of thy seed's seed, said Jehovah, From henceforth unto the age!
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 59:16-21
Commentary on Isaiah 59:16-21
(Read Isaiah 59:16-21)
This passage is connected with the following chapters. It is generally thought to describe the coming of the Messiah, as the Avenger and Deliverer of his church. There was none to intercede with God to turn away his wrath; none to interpose for the support of justice and truth. Yet He engaged his own strength and righteousness for his people. God will make his justice upon the enemies of his church and people plainly appear. When the enemy threatens to bear down all without control, then the Spirit of the Lord shall stop him, put him to flight. He that has delivered, will still deliver. A far more glorious salvation is promised to be wrought out by the Messiah in the fulness of time, which all the prophets had in view. The Son of God shall come to us to be our Redeemer; the Spirit of God shall come to be our Sanctifier: thus the Comforter shall abide with the church for ever, John 14:16. The word of Christ will always continue in the mouths of the faithful; and whatever is pretended to be the mind of the Spirit, must be tried by the Scriptures. We must lament the progress of infidelity and impiety. But the cause of the Redeemer shall gain a complete victory even on earth, and the believer will be more than conqueror when the Lord receives him to his glory in heaven.