Charles Spurgeon Commentary Isaiah 54

Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child:

Sing, even though you are barren. Do not postpone your song until God's promise is fulfilled to you; but sing even while you are desolate and forlorn, and let faith pitch the key-note. Let me, therefore, urge any of you who are disconsolate and sad, to heed the words of the prophet, and even now begin to sing. Give to God songs in the night; imitate the nightingale, and sing though not a star is to be seen.

For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

After all, we who have the deepest sorrow have the highest joy, and if we are sometimes desolate, we need not wish to change with those who always keep the even tenor of their way. If we have great downs, we also have great ups; if the valleys are deep, blessed be God the hills are high, and the view from their summits is glorious.

Let us be thankful even if our lot is a hard one, if we are the Lord's, for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.

Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

This is another act of faith—not only singing before the mercy comes, but getting ready to receive it before it is in sight, stretching the curtains and the cords to make room for the blessing which has not yet arrived.

Carnal reason says, "When we have the children, we will enlarge the tent; when we have gathered the congregation, we will build a house of prayer."

But faith says, "I will enlarge my heart that it may be able to take in the blessing which is sure to come. I will be big with expectation. I will open my mouth wide—not when I see the blessing, but before I see it—that God may place the blessing in my open, empty mouth."

May the Lord graciously give us enlarged expectations; for, according to our faith, so it shall be for us!

Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

This promise is made to the long-barren and desolate Gentile Church that may well sing, for God has visited her in mercy, and, today, her children are more numerous than those of the Jewish Church. We have waited, but we have been well repaid for our waiting, for we have a larger and richer blessing than God's ancient people ever enjoyed.

Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

In this Western region, we do not fully understand all the misery felt by Eastern women who were childless; they were looked down upon and despised. Yet here God bids them sing.

And, dear friends, if you and I feel as if our hearts have become barren, so that we cannot think of God or raise our thoughts toward him as we would desire; if we feel that we have become useless, and for that reason our spirit is greatly depressed, let us heed this sweet, this charming exhortation from Jehovah: "Sing, O barren soul; break forth into singing, and cry aloud." For God can turn our barrenness into fruitfulness and make us rejoice exceedingly before him.

If we are now sighing and crying because we are not what we ought to be, or what we want to be, God can, in the richness of his grace, make us all that we desire. Therefore, let us begin to be joyful even before the miracle of mercy is accomplished; let us have unbounded faith in God and expect him to bless us, even while we are in our lowest state.

Sing, O barren, you that did not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you that did not travail with child; for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, says the LORD. Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations: spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes; For you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left; and your seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

Yet, they are called upon to praise God before the mercy comes.

Sing, O Barren, while still barren. Sing, O desolate one, while still desolate; and you who are narrowed and confined for space, thank God that he is about to enlarge you, and begin already to stretch your cords and strengthen your stakes.

We ought to act upon faith, and sing upon faith. The songs which are made at the sight of mercy are very sweet, but the songs that are sung before the mercy comes are those which are most acceptable to God.

We may say of the sonnets of faith, Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed.