Isaiah 51:5

Isa 51:5 My righteousness [is] near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

Ver. 5. My righteousness,] i.e., My faithfulness, or my Son, that Sun of righteousness, is already on the way, {a} and will be with you forthwith.

And mine arm shall judge the people,] i.e., All that set themselves against the Lord and against his Christ, {Psa 2:2} these shall feel his power to their perdition, even the force of both his arms.

The isles shall wait upon me.] They shall stretch out their souls as a line (so the word importeth), and direct them toward Christ.

And on mine arm shall they trust,] i.e., On my power, or on my gospel promises.

{a} Iam amodo iter ingressa est. - Hyper.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Isa_51:5

My righteousness is near

Gods righteousness and salvation

The Gospel of Christ shall be preached and published to the world.

A law shall proceed from Me (Isa_51:4), an evangelical law, the law of Christ, the law of faith (Isa_2:3).

I. THIS SHALL BRING WITH IT RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SALVATION, shall open a ready way to the children of men how they may be justified and saved. It is called God s righteousness and salvation--

1. Because of His contriving and bringing it about.

2. It is a righteousness that He will accept for us, and accept us for.

3. And a righteousness which He will work in us.

4. It is the salvation of the Lord, for it ariseth from Him, and terminates in Him. Observe, there is no salvation without righteousness, and wherever there is the righteousness of God, there shall be His salvation.

II. THIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SALVATION SHALL VERY SHORTLY APPEAR. It is near, it is gone forth. It is near in time. It is near in place, not far to Rom_10:8).

III. THIS EVANGELICAL RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SALVATION SHALL NOT BE CONFINED TO THE JEWISH NATION, BUT SHALL BE EXTENDED TO THE GENTILES. (M. Henry.)

Gods arm

Gods arm shall judge the people that are impenitent, and yet on His arm shall others trust and be saved by it. (M. Henry.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

51:5 God is strong enough to crush his enemies and rescue his people, such as when he rescued Israel in the Exodus (see 51:9; Exod 6:6; 15:16).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

My power and strength.

The time that I will accomplish my promise.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

righteousness . . . near--that is, faithful fulfilment of the promised deliverance, answering to "salvation" in the parallel clause (Isa 46:13; Isa 56:1; Rom 10:8-9). Ye follow after "righteousness"; seek it therefore, from Me, and you will not have far to go for it (Isa 51:1).

arms--put for Himself; I by My might.

judge-- (Isa 2:3-4; Psa 98:9).

isles, &c.-- (Isa 60:9).

arm-- (Rom 1:16), "the power of God unto (the Gentiles as well as the Jews) salvation."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 5. My righteousness is near] The word צדק tsedek, righteousness, is used in such a great latitude of signification, for justice, truth, faithfulness, goodness, mercy, deliverance, salvation, c., that it is not easy sometimes to give the precise meaning of it without much circumlocution it means here the faithful completion of God's promises to deliver his people.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(5) Mine arms shall judge the people.—Literally, the peoples, including Israel and the heathen. The work of judgment thus, as ever, comes first; after it the isles (i.e., far-off countries), as representing the heathen, shall be converted, and trust the very Arm that smote them.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. My righteousness is near] See the last note and cf. ch. Isa_46:13. For people read peoples (as R.V.).

the isles shall wait upon me] Cf. Isa_42:4.

on mine arm] i.e. “on my strength,” my protection (Isa_33:2).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

My righteousness is near,.... These are either the words of God the Father, and to be understood not of his essential righteousness, nor of his vindictive justice; but of the righteousness of his Son, which he calls his own, because he approves and accepts of it, imputes and reckons it to his people, and with it justifies them. The words may be rendered, "my righteous One", as in the Vulgate Latin version; not Cyrus, as Grotius; but Christ, God's righteous servant, who was near to come in the flesh, in order to work righteousness. Or these are the words of Christ, speaking of his own righteousness, which was near being wrought out by him, as it was when he became the end of the law for it, by obeying its precept, and bearing its penalty; and near being revealed in the Gospel, where it is revealed from faith to faith; and near being applied by the blessed Spirit, as it is to all that believe; and is near to be come at, and laid hold on, by faith:

my salvation is gone forth: the "salvation" appointed by the Lord; provided in covenant; wrought out by Christ; applied by the Spirit; and fully enjoyed in heaven: this is "gone forth" in the purpose and decree of God, in prophecy and promise, and in the declaration of the Gospel: or, "my Saviour", as the Vulgate Latin version; the Saviour of God's appointing, providing, and sending. Or these are the words of the Saviour himself, who has wrought it out, in whom it is, and of whom it is to be had; it is done, and ready for sinners to look unto and embrace; it is ready to be revealed, and to be fully enjoyed:

and mine arms shall judge the people; to whom the arm of the Lord is revealed, and the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation; both the arms of Christ are ready to receive them, and these protect and defend them, and judge, condemn, and destroy those that despise it:

the isles shall wait upon me; upon Christ, for his coming; for his salvation and righteousness; for his Gospel, the truths, promises, and blessings of it; and in his house and ordinances, for his presence. This is a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles, even in the isles of the sea, those afar off, as ours of Great Britain and Ireland, in which there have been and are many waiting upon him:

and on mine arm shall they trust; as on Christ, the arm of the Lord, for salvation; so on the power of Christ for protection and preservation; and on his promises in the Gospel, for their support; which is the arm of the Lord revealed unto them, and yields much support and comfort, and makes known that which is a proper object of trust.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

My righteousness is near - The word ‘righteousness’ is used in a great variety of significations. Here it means, probably, the faithful completion of his promises to his people (Lowth).

My salvation is gone forth - The promise of salvation is gone forth, and already the execution of that purpose is commenced. He would soon deliver his people; he would at no distant period extend salvation to all nations.

And mine arm shall judge the people - That is, shall dispense judgment to them. The ‘arm’ here is put for himself, as the arm is the instrument by which we execute our purposes (see the notes at Isa 51:9).

The isles shall wait upon me - The distant nations; the pagan lands (see the note at Isa 41:1). The idea is, that distant lands would become interested in the true religion, and acknowledge and worship the true God.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Just. Christ, prefigured by Cyrus, whose empire was very mild, chap. xliv. 28.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

My righteousness; my salvation, as it is expounded in the next clause, the redemption of all my people, both Jews and Gentiles, which is the effect of his righteousness; either his justice, or his faithfulness, or his mercy and goodness; for all these are called by the name of righteousness in Scripture, and all these contributed to the work of man’s redemption.

My salvation is gone forth; shall shortly go forth; my secret and eternal purpose of saving my people shall speedily be fulfilled.

Mine arms shall judge the people; either,

1. Shall destroy those people who obstruct or oppose this work. Or rather,

2. Shall subdue the Gentiles to mine authority, and rule them by my word and Spirit; which agrees best with the following clause.

The isles; the remote countries of the Gentiles, as Isa 41:1; 42:4, and elsewhere.

Shall wait upon me; shall confidently expect and hope for this promised righteousness and salvation from me, and from me only, and not from idols, as they have done, nor by any other way.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth. "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and. a thousand years as one day". (2Pe_3:8) Isaiah always speaks as if the Messianic kingdom was to supervene almost immediately on the return of the exiles to Palestine. It was not revealed to him that there would be an interval of from five hundred to six hundred years between the two events. By God"s righteousness" here we must understand his righteous plans for the redemption of his people through Christ, and for the punishment of those who resist his will and remain impenitent. The salvation and the judgment are the two parts of the right eousness." The isles shall wait upon me (Isa_41:1, 5 42:4, 10, 12 49:1 60:9, etc.; and the comment Isa_42:4) On mine arm shall they trust. God"s "arm" is his executive power that might by which he effects his purposes. The "isles" or "countries" that have been expecting the coming of a Deliverer will have faith in his power to redeem and save them. Christianity was received with more readiness by the Gentiles than by the "peculiar people". (Act_11:21 Act_13:42, 46 14:1, 2 17:4, 5 18:6, etc.)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

My righteousness - My salvation, the redemption of all my people, Jews and Gentiles, which is the effect of his righteousness, his justice, faithfulness, or mercy. Is gone - Shall shortly go forth. Judge - Shall subdue the Gentiles to my authority, and rule them by my word and spirit. Isles - The remote countries shall expect this salvation from me, and from me only.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

“Near (is) my righteousness,” (i.e., the exhibition of it in the changes previously promised and threatened). Near, as often elsewhere in the prophecies, is an indefinite expression which describes it simply as approaching, and as actually near to the perceptions of the Prophet or to any one who occupies the same point of vision. “Gone forth is my salvation.” Not only is the purpose formed, and the decree gone forth, but the event itself, in the sense just explained, may be described as past or actually passing. “And my arms shall judge the nations.” As the foregoing clause contains a promise, some interpreters suppose it to be necessary to give ‘judge’ the favorable sense of ‘vindicating, righting’ (as in Isa 1:17; Isa 1:23), or at least the generic one of ruling (as in 1Sa 8:5). But nothing can be more in keeping with the usage of the Scriptures, and of this book in particular, than the simultaneous exhibition of God’s justice in his treatment both of friends and foes. (Compare Isa 1:27). “For me shall the islands wait,” (i.e., for me they must wait; until I reveal myself they must remain in darkness. (See above, on Isa 42:4)) The usual sense of ‘islands’ is entirely appropriate here, as a poetical or representative expression for countries in general, with more particular reference to those across the sea. “And in my arm they shall hope,” (i.e., in the exercise of my almighty power). As in Isa 42:6, the sense is not so much that they shall exercise a feeling of trust, but that this will be their only hope or dependence. “To be enlightened,” they must wait for my revelation; “to be saved,” for the exertion of my power. It is not descriptive, therefore, of the feelings of the nations after the way of salvation is made known to them, but of their desperate and helpless condition until they hear it.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

shall chasten Heb. יִשְׁפֹּטוּ, chasten, jostize in O.F.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

Is near, to be seen.

זרועי Mine arms, is the subject. עמים The people is the object. The isles shall wait upon me, etc., at that time.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.