Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 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.
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).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 5. My righteousness is near] The word 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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 mans 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.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. righteousness . . . nearthatis, faithful fulfilment of the promised deliverance, answering to”salvation” in the parallel clause (Isa 46:13;Isa 56:1; Rom 10:8;Rom 10:9). Ye follow after”righteousness”; seek it therefore, from Me, and you willnot have far to go for it (Isa51:1).
armsput for Himself; Iby My might.
judge (Isa 2:3;Isa 2:4; Psa 98:9).
isles, &c. (Isa60:9).
arm (Ro1:16), “the power of God unto (the Gentiles as well as theJews) salvation.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5. My righteousness is near. He confirms the former doctrine. The “righteousness” of the Lord has relation to men, who know by experience that he is “righteous.” While the people were oppressed by cruel bondage, they knew, indeed, that they were justly punished for their sins; but they might wonder that they were so much forsaken, because the worship of God ceased, and his name was blasphemed by wicked men, who pursued their wicked career without punishment. In order, therefore, to bring them some consolation, he promises that God will speedily assist them, so that all shall acknowledge that he is faithful and just. By the word “righteous” the Prophet does not mean that he renders to every one a “righteous” reward, but that he yields the best protection, and dispenses the largest kindness to his people, that he faithfully performs his promises to all believers, when he delivers them and does not suffer them to be finally overwhelmed.
This appears more clearly from the following clause, in which, for the purpose of explanation, he adds, My salvation hath gone forth; for the “righteousness” of God shone brightly in the deliverance of the people. Now, the captivity in which the Jews were held in Babylon was a kind of death, in consequence of which that deliverance is here called “Salvation.”
My arms shall judge the peoples. By “arms” he means the wide exercise of his power. That figure of speech which describes God under forms of expression drawn from the human frame occurs frequently in Scripture. Because God’s government appeared to be confined within narrow limits, or rather was not at all visible, on this account he mentions arms, by which he means that he will spread his kingdom far and wide.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
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,
The isles shall wait upon me.
And on mine arm shall they trust,
a Iam amodo iter ingressa est. – Hyper.
isles = maritime countries. See note on Isa 11:11.
wait. Compare Isa 42:4; Isa 60:9.
trust = hope. Hebrew. yahal. App-69. Not the same word as in Isa 50:10.
righteousness: Isa 46:13, Isa 56:1, Deu 30:14, Psa 85:9, Mat 3:2, Rom 1:16, Rom 1:17, Rom 10:6-10
my salvation: Isa 2:2, Isa 2:3, Eze 47:1-5, Mat 28:18, Mar 16:15, Luk 24:47, Rom 10:17, Rom 10:18
mine: 1Sa 2:10, Psa 50:4-6, Psa 67:4, Psa 96:13, Psa 98:9, Psa 110:6, Joe 3:12, Joh 5:22, Joh 5:23, Act 17:31, Rom 2:16, 2Co 5:10
the isles: Isa 42:4, Isa 49:1, Isa 60:9, Zep 2:11, Rom 1:16, Rom 15:9-12
Reciprocal: Gen 10:5 – isles Psa 24:5 – righteousness Psa 50:23 – salvation Psa 65:5 – afar Psa 97:1 – let the multitude of isles Psa 111:3 – righteousness Isa 24:15 – isles Isa 42:6 – a light Isa 42:10 – the isles Isa 51:9 – O arm Isa 52:15 – for Isa 62:1 – the righteousness Isa 66:19 – the isles Joe 3:16 – hope Mic 4:2 – for Mic 4:3 – he shall judge Joh 12:38 – the arm Heb 2:3 – so
51:5 My {e} righteousness [is] near; my salvation is gone forth, and my {f} arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on my arm shall they trust.
(e) The time that I will accomplish my promise.
(f) My power and strength.
The righteousness, salvation, and strong judgment that the Lord promised to bring would be greater than just Israel’s emancipation from Babylon, however, because the nations would anticipate it. Cyrus brought deliverance to the Israelites from Babylon, but the Servant would bring salvation to the nations of the world. The furthest reaches of humanity wait expectantly for God’s delivering power, in the sense that everyone wants someone to correct the mess we are in, not that they know how salvation will come. This salvation was imminent, the Lord promised, as imminent as Messiah’s appearing.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)