John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 47:8

"Now therefore hear this, thou that art given to pleasures, that sittest securely, that sayest in thy heart, I am, and there is none else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:" — Isaiah 47:8 (ASV)

And now hear this, thou delicate woman. The Prophet again threatens the destruction of Babylon and uses appropriate words to strengthen the hearts of believers, so that the prosperity of the Babylonians may not stupefy them and lead them to despondency. And yet, he does not address Babylon to produce an impression on her, but to comfort believers. He adds that she was intoxicated with pleasures. For prosperity, being the gift of God, ought not in itself to be condemned, but it is well known how prone the children of the world are to pass from luxury to insolence.

Who saith in her heart. He now explains what is meant by the phrase "to say," which we discussed in the explanation of the preceding verse: namely, that one convinces oneself and believes that things will be as one imagines them to be, just as proud and insolent men commonly do, although they often conceal it through pretended modesty and do not wish it to be publicly known.

I am, and there is none besides me. This arrogance, by which she prefers herself to the whole world, is intolerable. First, she thinks that she is; secondly, she imagines that the rest of the world does not deserve to be compared to her; thirdly, she promises herself everlasting repose, for she says, I shall not sit as a widow.

Regarding the first point, there is no one of whom it can be truthfully said that he is, except God alone, who has a right to say, I am what I am (Exodus 3:14), for by this mark He is distinguished from creatures.

Thus, whoever thinks that he subsists by his own power robs God of the honor due to Him, and so Babylon, by exalting herself, made war with God. Secondly, she treated the whole world with contempt when she preferred herself to it. In this manner, proud men begin with God, by making Him their enemy, and they end by making all men, without exception, their enemies through their haughtiness.

The third clause, which may be regarded as the capstone of her pride, is that she considers her condition to be eternal and does not take into account that human affairs are liable to change. For the higher men have been exalted, the lower they sometimes sink on that account.