John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 57:9

"And thou wentest to the king with oil, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thine ambassadors far off, and didst debase thyself even unto Sheol." — Isaiah 57:9 (ASV)

And thou wentest to the king with ointment. Here the Prophet censures another vice closely allied with the former. For ungodliness begets various errors and leads into grievous and intricate distresses those minds that are frivolous and destitute of the fear of God, because it is fitting that those who refuse to rest in God should be tossed about, or rather driven up and down.

He therefore reproaches the Jews with having labored long and hard in seeking the assistance of the wicked; that is, with having attempted to bring the Egyptians against the Assyrians, and next, when they had been disappointed in their hope, with having begun to turn to the Babylonians.

When their hearts have been estranged from God, they seek assistance from elsewhere and, by great labor and expense, bring upon themselves more severe distresses.

Yet while the Lord grants rest to His people, so that they may perform their work in peace, wicked men vex themselves in vain, rise early, go late to rest, eat the bread of sorrow, as it is said (Psalms 127:2), and yet do not gain anything, because all that they do is without God’s authority or guidance.

But the Spirit inflicts this punishment on them, so that they incessantly wander and are tossed about in doubt and uncertainty, and never can find rest in their minds.