Charles Spurgeon Commentary Isaiah 26

In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah;

God would have his people to be a singing people. They often sigh; they should more often sing. God makes their songs, and appoints the song for the day, and so helps them to cheer the darkest day with some melodious music.

We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

Jerusalem may fall, her walls may be destroyed till not one stone is left upon another; but still, we have a strong city. In the salvation of God, we live and are safe. Our place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks. The eternal purposes of God shall guard the safety of his people.

Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

This city is for the righteous, for those who keep the truth of God. They are to dwell in this city; not fighting in the open, not wandering in the plains, but dwelling at ease behind the massive walls and bulwarks which God himself has appointed in his salvation.

In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

God is the great source of song; he gives songs in the night.

He can make the saddest heart break forth into praise. One part of the prophecy concerning Christ's coming was, Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing. The Lord might have caused us to utter nothing but groans if he had pleased; but, instead of doing so, he delights to fill our mouths with joyous songs.

Let us from our heart sing this ancient song: We have a strong city. The Church of God is a city which has a heavenly citizenship, and other unique privileges; and it is wondrously protected, for the promise in this passage is now fulfilled: salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

In that day –

Or, rather, as we may read it now, "In this day" –

Shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Here is the song which we are to sing in this gospel day. The theme of it is God, and the city which He has built, and which He has given to us to be our heritage forever. We have a strong city; yes, beloved, a very strong one, for, although the devil has exercised all his ingenuity for these thousands of years, he has not been able to destroy it. He has thrown in the bombshell of persecution; he has tried to undermine it with his subtlety and cunning of false doctrine; but he has not been able to do anything effectually against the strong city yet. We have a strong city; and she is just as strong now, after all the desperate attacks that have been made upon her walls, as ever she was. Against her, the gates of hell cannot prevail.

The Church of Christ is never in danger. We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks? After noticing the security of the city, the prophet bids us, Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. It is the gospel minister's business to seek to open the gates; it is the Christian's business, in some sense, to open the gates; yes, we should all of us be endeavoring, if possible, to open the gates, that the righteous nation—that is, the righteous people—may enter into the Church. But, after all, the Lord Jesus Christ is the great Opener of the gates; He opens the gates to let His people in. And, take note, they do not all come in at one gate. The command is, Open ye the gates. Some come in by means of one doctrine, and some by means of another.

We are not all converted by the same agency. Some come in at the Sunday-school gate; others come in at the gate which is kept by pious parents; many come in at the gate of the preached Word; but all the gates should be open: Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. The prophet next describes the peaceableness of this city. The gates are open, but no enemy ever enters in: for he says to the Lord, Thou wilt keep him in peace—peace, as the original has it, in double peace. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee.

There is nothing like staying the mind on God. If you stay the mind on anything else, you cannot have perfect peace, for that something else may fail you. If you trust in horses and in chariots, horses may tire, and the wheels of the chariots may break; but he who trusts in the Lord shall dwell in perfect peace. Let the earth be all in arms abroad, the believer dwells in perfect peace, because he trusteth in thee.