John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 59:9

"Therefore is justice far from us, neither doth righteousness overtake us: we look for light, but, behold, darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity." — Isaiah 59:9 (ASV)

Therefore is judgment far from us. After describing how corrupt and depraved the condition of that people was, he also shows that the severe chastisements inflicted on them are richly deserved, so that they may not complain of being treated with greater harshness and severity than was proper. Thus he has depicted, as in a picture, those vices that were publicly known, so that they might more fully perceive in how many and various ways they were guilty before God. And now he again repeats that we need not wonder if God treats such obstinate dispositions with greater severity and renders to them a just reward. He says that “Judgment is far off,” because they were the most wretched of all men and did not have God for their protector as before.

And justice does not overtake us. He uses the words “judgment” and “justice” to denote God’s guardianship, when He defends us and shows that He takes care of us. He calls it “justice” when He defends us, and “judgment” when He avenges the injuries done to us. Here he declares that God had cast off the care of His people and had deprived them of His countenance and aid, because they were unworthy of it. And therefore we should note the particle על כן (gnal ken), which means “therefore”; for he draws the conclusion that we ought not to blame God, as if He acted unjustly towards His people, since in so many ways they had insulted His majesty.

What he adds is of the same import: while they look for light, continual darkness sits down upon them; for the metaphor shows that they were almost consumed by their calamities, and that when they promised themselves any alleviation, they were disappointed in their hope. Light is a word very frequently used to denote prosperity, and darkness to denote adversity. He means, therefore, that it will be futile to expect their condition to change for the better; and his object is that the people may learn to ascribe their calamities to themselves and not imagine that those calamities happen by chance, or that the Lord is excessively severe, for He always endeavors to bring His people to the doctrine of repentance.