xii. 1. _And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, &c._
This prophecy is said by some to relate to the invasion by
Sennacherib, and the marvellous deliverance therefrom. If so, it is
an instance of sanctified affliction, and a lesson to us that
whenever we smart under the rod we may look forward to the time when
it shall be withdrawn; it is also an admonition to us, that when we
escape from trial we should take care to celebrate the event with
grateful praise. It is thought by others that the text mainly relates
to the latter days, and I think it would be impossible to read the
eleventh chapter without feeling such a reference is clear. Both
these interpretations are true and instructive; but we shall find out
the very soul of the passage, if we consider it as an illustration of
what occurs to every one of God's people when he is brought out of
darkness into God's marvellous light, when he is delivered from the
spirit of bondage beneath Divine wrath, and led by the Spirit of
adoption into the liberty wherewith Christ makes him free. In
regarding the text from this point of view, we shall first observe
the prelude of this delightful song, and then listen to the song
itself.
I. THE PRELUDE OF THIS CHARMING SONG--"In that day thou shalt say."
Here we have the tuning of the harps, the notes of the music follow
after in the succeeding sentences. Note, 1. There is a _time_ for the
joyous song here recorded, "In that day"--the day of the
manifestation of the Divine power. 2. One word indicates the
_singer._ "_Thou_ shalt say." One by one we receive eternal life and
peace. Religion is an individual matter. The word "thou" is spoken to
those brought down into the last degree of despair. Thou
broken-hearted sinner, ready to destroy thyself because of the
anguish of conscience, in the day of God's abounding mercy, _thou_
shalt rejoice! 3. The _Teacher_ of the song. "In that day thou
_shalt_ say." Who but the Lord can thus command man's heart and
speech? 4. The _tone_ of the song. "Thou shalt _say._" The song is to
be an open one, vocally uttered, heard of men. It is not to be a
silent feeling, a kind of soft music whose sweetness is spent within
the spirit; but in that day thou shalt testify and bear witness what
the Lord has done for thee (H. E. I., 3903-3921).
II. THE SONG ITSELF.--1. All of it is concerning the Lord; it is all
addressed to Him. "O Lord, I will praise _Thee:_ though _Thou_ wast
angry with me, _Thine_ anger is turned away." When a soul is escaped
from the bondage of sin, it resembles the apostles on Mount Tabor--it
sees no man but Jesus only. 2. It includes repentant memories. The
Hebrew would run something like this, "O Lord, I will praise Thee;
Thou wast angry with me." We do this day praise God because He made
us feel His anger. "What, is a sense of anger a cause for praise?"
No, not if it stood alone, but because it has driven us to Christ.
The song in its deep bass includes plaintive recollections of sin
pressing heavily on the spirit. 3. It contains blessed certainties.
"Thine anger _is_ turned away." "Can a man know that? Can he be quite
sure he is forgiven?" He can be as sure of pardon as he is of his
existence, as infallibly certain as he is of a mathematical
proposition. The Scriptures teach that to the sinner who trusts in
Jesus there is no condemnation, and every one may know whether he is
trusting in Jesus or not (H. E. I., 309, 310, 324-334, 986, 989).
4. It includes holy resolutions. "I will praise Thee"--in secret, in
public. For this purpose I will unite with Thy people. I will not be
content unless all that I am and all that I have shall praise Thee.
5. It is a song which is peculiar in its characteristics, and
appropriate only to the people of God. It is a song of strong faith,
and yet of humility. Its spirit is a precious incense made up of many
costly ingredients. Humility confesses, "Thou wast angry with me;"
gratitude sings, "Thine anger is turned away;" patience cries, "Thou
comfortest me," and holy joy springs up, and saith, "I will praise
Thee." Faith, hope, love--all have their notes here, from the bass of
humility up to the highest alto of glorious communion.
By way of practical results from this subject, let me speak, 1. A
word of _consolation_ to those who are under God's anger. God never
shut up a soul in the prison of conviction, but sooner or later He
released the captive. The worst thing in the world is to go
unchastised; to be allowed to sin and eat honey with it, this is the
precursor of damnation; but to sin, and to have the wormwood of
repentance with it, this is the prelude of being saved. If the Lord
has embittered thy sin, He has designs of love towards thee; His
anger shall yet be turned away. 2. A word of _admonition._ Some of
you have been forgiven, but are you praising God as you should?
(H. E. I., 3903-3911).--_C. H. Spurgeon: Metropolitan Tabernacle
Pulpit_ (vol. xvi. pp. 241-250).
The preceding chapter relates to the reign of the Messiah; the end of
it especially to the ingathering of the Jews--a period which will be
the spiritual jubilee to the tribes of Israel, and the beginning of
the millennium to the world itself. _That_ is the day in which Israel
shall say, "O Lord, I will praise thee," &c. This passage may be
applied to every spiritual child of Abraham. Consider--
+I. The previous state referred to.+ "Thou wast angry with me." Anger
in God is not, as it often is in us, a blind, furious passion; but a
holy disapprobation of wrong, and a righteous determination to punish
it (H. E. I., 2288-2294). 1. _Man's character and conduct, while in
his natural state, are such as justly expose him to the Divine
anger._ What does God survey in the sinner? Ignorance, unbelief,
envy, malevolence, impurity, &c. In his conduct, likewise, how much
there is that must necessarily be displeasing to God!--ingratitude,
disobedience, selfishness, abuse of long-suffering, the rejection of
Christ. 2. _No intelligent being need be in any doubt as to whether
he is, or is not, an object of the Divine anger._ The teaching of
Scripture is clear (Ps. vii. 11; xxxiv. 16, &c.) This is ratified by
the workings of conscience. Let any one do good secretly, and
contrast his state of mind with the feelings arising after the
commission of secret evil. 3. _The Divine anger is of all things to
be deprecated._ Remember what its effects have been upon impenitent
sinners. Think of the old world; of Pharaoh and the Egyptians; of
Sodom, &c. View the written in indelible and awful characters in the
history of the Israelites. Nothing can resist it, alleviate it, or
deliver from it.
+II. The delightful change experienced.+ 1. _The Divine displeasure
is removed._ "Anger turned away." The cloud blotted out; no longer
under condemnation, &c. This necessarily supposes a change in the
creature. His enmity and opposition to God have ceased; he has seen
the evil of sin; confessed and forsaken it; and believed in the Lord
Jesus Christ. A state of unbelief exposes us to the Divine wrath; a
state of faith brings upon us His favour. God abhors the high and
proud spirit; but He looks in pity on the lowly and contrite. 2. _The
Divine favour is enjoyed._ "Thou comfortest me." We cannot stand in a
neutral state with respect to God. The instant His anger is removed,
His favour is enjoyed. Guilt, remorse, the burden of sin, are gone;
and in their stead there is a sweet assurance of acceptance with God.
This comfort is real, not visionary; suitable, abiding, and
inexpressibly precious; it is associated with all good, both in this
life and that which is to come; it is the precursor of everlasting
felicity.
+III. The grateful return presented.+ "I will praise Thee."
Acceptable praise, 1. _Includes the offering of a thankful heart._ It
must arise from within; it must be the expression of the affections
of the soul. Heart gratitude is alone real, and that which God will
receive. 2. It must be _free and spontaneous._ "I will." Not I ought,
or should, but "I will." 3. It must be _constant_ (Eph. v. 20;
1 Thess. v. 18; Ps. xxxiv. 1).
APPLICATION.--Let the text be 1. _The test of our state._ Can we use
it? Is it so with us? Is God our reconciled friend? 2. _The test of
our spirit and conduct._ Do we love and bless God? Is it our delight
to do so? 3. _Let it be attractive to the convicted, mourning
sinner._ There is a way to Divine peace, and to real and heavenly
comfort. Christ is that way. Come now to God through Him.--_Jabez
Burns, D.D.: Pulpit Cyclopædia_ (iii. 221-224).
In this verse we have a representation--+I. Of the natural condition
of sinful men.+ An object of Divine anger. 1. The nature of the
emotion described; 2. The cause of this anger; 3. How much it is to
be feared. Unlike the anger of man it is changeless, and behind it is
boundless wisdom and irresistible power. +II. Of the change effected
in the state of believers by Divine grace.+ They are blessed, 1. By
the removal of the Divine displeasure, effected by the work
accomplished _for_ them by the Son of God, and _in_ them by the Holy
Spirit. 2. In the enjoyment of Divine consolation. +III. Of the
adoring thankfulness which the change demands and calls forth.+
1. The individual character of the declaration: "_Thou_ shalt say."
2. The vocal proclamation: Thou "shalt _say._" True gratitude is
never silent (Ps. lxvi. 16, &c.) 3. The delightful burden of the
song.--_George Smith, D.D._
In this verse we have three pictures. I. God angry with the sinner.
II. God reconciled to the sinner. III. God comforting the
sinner.--_H. F. Walker._