John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 33

This prophecy refers to the same subject; and it was not to be wondered at that God spoke so much of the same thing, for it was necessary to make the Jews inexcusable, as they always pretended ignorance unless God made frequent repetitions. This was also the reason why Paul said that by the mouth of two or three witnesses everything should be established, when he said that he would come the second and the third time to Corinth (2 Corinthians 13:1). He intimated that his coming would not be useless, for unless they repented, they could not have escaped by pretending ignorance, as hypocrites are accustomed to do.

It was, then, God’s purpose to confirm by many prophecies what he had once testified concerning the restoration of the people. But he had a special care for the faithful, that they might not grow faint and succumb under those many trials which remained for so long a time. For as some died in exile, they might have forgotten the covenant of God, and thus the soul might have perished with the body.

And those who were to return to their own country needed significant support, so that they might continue firm for seventy years and rely with confidence on God’s mercy. So now we understand why God repeated the teaching about the return of the people.

It is said that the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah while he was still in prison. Then the Prophet was commanded to seek the benefit of his enemies and to promote their welfare, however unworthy they were because of their ingratitude. For though they had not all demanded his death, yet the greater part of them had loudly condemned him, and he had been delivered with difficulty, and was now confined in prison.

It was a great cruelty that the people, while he was faithfully discharging his prophetic office, should thus furiously rage against him. He is, however, commanded still to proceed in the duties of his office, to comfort them, to ease their grief, and to afford them some alleviation in their troubles and miseries.

There is also no doubt that it was profitable to Jeremiah himself; for it was a most unjust reward that he should, while serving God faithfully and conscientiously, be shamefully cast into prison and be kept captive there for so long. It was, then, some lessening of his grief that God appeared to him in that very prison; it was evidence that God valued him more highly than all the Jews.

God did not then speak in the Temple, nor throughout the whole city. The prison then was God’s sanctuary, and there he gave responses to his Prophet, though he was accustomed to do this before from the mercy seat, from the ark of the covenant. Thus we see how great was the honor that God was pleased at that time to bestow, in a way, on a prison, when he had forsaken his own Temple.

Now follows the prophecy, the substance of which is that though the city was to be given up into the hand of the king of Babylon, yet that calamity was not to be perpetual, for God eventually, after the completion of seventy years, would restore it.

But why this promise was given has been stated already: it was given so that the faithful might submit patiently to God, and allow themselves with calm minds to be chastised, and also rest on the hope the promise gave them, and thus feel assured that as they were struck by God’s hand, their punishment would prove to be their medicine and an aid to their salvation. So now we perceive what this prophecy is, and also for what purpose it was delivered.

But before God promised anything concerning the return of the people, he strengthened the mind of the Prophet by a preface, and also encouraged and inspired the godly to cherish good hope. The preface is that God created and formed Jerusalem. There was, then, no doubt that he would eventually rescue it from the hands of enemies; indeed, that he would raise it up even from hell itself.

To prove this, he says that he is Jehovah. Thus we see why the Prophet, before he recited the promise, honored God with magnificent titles. But it is doubtful whether the past or the present time is to be understood when it is said, Jehovah the maker of it, Jehovah the former of it; for either would be suitable—that is, that God at the beginning built Jerusalem and was its founder, or that he had intended to create and form it anew.

If the past tense is taken, then the meaning is that the city, which had been built by God, could not possibly perish, because his will was that it should remain perpetually. And the same sentiment often occurs in the Prophets, and also in the Psalms.

For it was God’s design to be regarded as the founder of Jerusalem, so that he might distinguish it from all other cities of the world. We know that there is nothing under the sun perpetual, for the whole world is subject to various changes; indeed,

“the fashion of this world,” as Paul says, “passeth away” (1 Corinthians 7:31).

As, then, such various changes take place in all cities, God, by a unique privilege, exempted Jerusalem from this common lot; and therefore the Prophet truly and wisely concludes that the ruin of the city would not be perpetual, because God had formed it. And therefore its future restoration is sufficiently proved.

But if anyone prefers the present time, then the meaning would be that he who had resolved to create and form Jerusalem is Jehovah, the God of hosts: no one then can hinder his work. As this sense is not unsuitable, I do not reject it, though I follow the former.

We must, at the same time, bear in mind this principle—that restoration is promised to the Jews because Jerusalem had been, as it were, chosen by God, so that he took it under his care and protection, so as to preserve it perpetually. Whether then we take the words to be in the past or present time, that God is the creator and former of Jerusalem, we see that the promise of deliverance is founded on the mercy of God, even because he had chosen Jerusalem for his own habitation, according to what is in the Psalms,

“His foundations are on the holy mountains” (Psalms 87:1).

And there, also, the pronoun is used instead of God’s name, as here instead of the city’s name, Thus saith Jehovah, who has created it, who has formed it, that he might establish it. Here Jerusalem is not named; but the narrative is much more emphatic than if it was expressed, as also in the place we have just quoted, the word God is not given, nor the word Church, if I mistake not, in the 37th chapter of Isaiah (Isaiah 37). When the Prophet says,

“His foundations are on the holy mountains,”

there is no doubt that the word God is to be understood, though not expressed. So here, when speaking of the city, he says that Jehovah formed it, or will form it.

He adds, Jehovah is his name. Here he exalts the power of God, so that the Jews might not set up against him what otherwise might have terrified them and, as it were, reduced them to a lifeless state, and caused them to faint away completely.

He, therefore, sets before their eyes the power of God, as though he had said that there would be no obstacle which could delay God’s work, for he had resolved to form and create anew his own city after its demolition. It is, in a word, the same as though he had commanded the people to turn their eyes and all their thoughts to God, to consider his immeasurable power, and so to cherish hope, and thus to look down, as it were, from on high on all the impediments which might have otherwise completely weakened their confidence.

He afterwards adds, Cry to me, and I will answer you, and I will announce to you things magnificent and hidden, which you have not known. It was not so much for the sake of the Prophet as of others that this was said. For the Prophet, no doubt, had earnestly prayed, and his prison must have inflamed his ardor, so as to intercede constantly with God. God then does not here reprove his lethargy or his sloth by saying, Cry to me; but as I have said, the word is so directed to the Prophet that God excites all the godly to pray.

There is indeed here an implied reproof, as though he had said that it was their fault that God did not cheer their minds with a joyful and happy message, for they had closed the door against themselves, so as to prevent God from offering them that comfort which they yet especially wished. But men, while they expect God to be propitious to them, do not yet give entrance to his grace, because they bolt up, as it were, their hearts with unbelief. Thus we see why it was said, Cry to me, and I will answer you.

But this passage should especially be noticed; for we may therefore conclude that whenever we pine away in sorrow, or are worn out by affliction, it is our own fault, because we are slow and reluctant to pray. For everyone who cries acknowledges that God is always near, as he promises in the Psalms, to those who truly call on him. That we are then sometimes worn out with long grief, and no comfort given to us, this happens, let us know, through our neglect and sloth, because we do not cry to God, who is always ready to answer us, as he here promises.

And he says, I will declare to you great things, and of hidden things you do not know. So are the words literally; but they cannot be thus suitably rendered: then we may read, “and things hidden which you do not know,” or, “I will make you acquainted with hidden things which are unknown to you.” It may, however, be asked why God called those things hidden, of which Jeremiah had already prophesied?

The answer is obvious—that they had, as it were, made void all the promises of God, and the holy man might have been even confounded when he saw that God’s favor was thus rejected. For it was reasonable to conclude that as the people obstinately rejected the hope of deliverance, it was all over with them, and that their condition was, as it were, hopeless.

Thus we see that those things are often hidden to us which God has again and again made known to us; for either they do not immediately penetrate into our minds, or the memory of them is extinguished, or faith is not so vigorous in us as it ought to be, or we are disturbed and confounded by obstacles thrown in our way.

He now expresses what these hidden things were: As to the houses, he says (so it is literally), thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, as to the houses of this city, and as to the houses of the kings of Judah. The preposition על, meaning upon, often means with regard to, concerning.

He names the houses of the kings, for the kings of Judah were not satisfied, as is well known, with one palace, but had many houses outside the city.

As to the houses, he says, which had been thrown down. This is variously explained; the houses, say some, had been pulled down for the war engines, that is, so that these engines might be made from the materials, and for the sword.

The sense, however, would appear more obvious if we were to take this view: that the houses had been thrown down by the war engines, and also by the sword, that is, by the violence of the enemies.

The word סללת (sallut), as has already been stated, is rendered by some as fortifications; but when the storming of cities is spoken of, it no doubt means war machines, such as engines to throw darts, or battering-rams. But we do not know in what form they were made by the Jews and the Chaldeans.

There are two parts to this prophecy—that the Jews were about to perish through their own fault, and that they were to be restored through the favor and goodness of God alone. Here, then, in the first place, the Prophet condemns the false confidence of the people, who stoutly resisted the Chaldeans.

They came, he says, to fight with the Chaldeans; but what would be the issue of the battle? Even to fill, he says, with the carcasses of men their very houses. When he says that the Jews were come, he speaks of what had already, as it were, taken place.

It is indeed a participle in the present tense, coming; but the Prophet here sets before their eyes what was to be, as though he had said, “The Jews will boldly rush forth, and will think themselves equal, and even superior to the Chaldeans; thus they will arm themselves with courage for the battle.” Then he says this in order to ridicule the audacity of the people.

The sad issue of the fight follows: the filling of their own houses with the carcasses of men. The copulative is redundant, or it must be taken as explanatory, and rendered, even. They shall come then to fight, even that they may fill their own houses with carcasses, and thus inflame the fury of their enemies.

For it therefore happened that the Chaldeans shed more blood and did not spare the mass of the people; because we know that when a city is won by force, more cruelty is exercised, and the slaughters become much greater. Had the Jews willingly surrendered, they would have received more humane treatment at the hand of their conquerors; but the Chaldeans became implacable because their fury had been kindled by the stubbornness of the people fighting against them.

God, at the same time, shows that the Chaldeans would not be victorious through their own valor, but because he himself would smite or slay the Jews. Then he ascribes to his own vengeance the calamity which might have seemed to proceed from the Chaldeans; for Jeremiah could not have exhorted the people to repentance unless he showed that it happened through a righteous judgment that the Chaldeans so cruelly raged against them. But we must defer the rest until tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that we may so learn to humble ourselves under your mighty hand, whenever you chastise us, that we may not faint in our miseries, but flee to your mercy with more confidence, and by acknowledging our sins, may become so displeased with ourselves that we may never lose the taste of your mercy but strengthen ourselves to cherish good hope, and call upon you, until we shall finally find by success that our prayers are not in vain. And may we ever thus find comfort in our troubles, so that we may finally enjoy that perfect bliss which you have prepared for us in heaven, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

I was compelled yesterday to stop at the second clause of the fifth verse, where God declares that the Jews were slain by him while they were exerting all their strength to resist. He then says that slaughter happened to the city and to the people because they had sinned against him. But he says, first, I have slain them, and then, I have hid my face from this city, and he also adds the reason, on account of all their wickedness.

Then he declares that he was the author of that slaughter, and he also shows that in just judgment he punished the wickedness of the people. For as they had never ceased for a long time to provoke his vengeance, he here shows that they deserved that reward—even of having their city forcibly taken by the Chaldeans, and also of being everywhere slain, and of having their houses filled with dead bodies.

He afterwards says, Behold, I will bring a renewal and a healing, and I will heal them. This is the main point, as they say, in the passage. He had until now been showing that the Jews had deserved so heavy a punishment because by their obstinacy they had not ceased to provoke God against themselves.

But he promises here to be gracious to them after having moderately corrected them. For we have said that the design of this prophecy was to sustain the Jews, so that they might not despond, but rely on the promise of favor, however bitter exile might be. Then he says, I will bring a renewal, or restoration, and a healing.

And it is added, I will open to them abundance of peace and of truth. Some render the last word, אמת (amet), as prayer; for the verb אמן (amen) sometimes means to pray and also to multiply.

There may then be a twofold meaning; the first, that God would open to them an access to prayer, for things were so hopeless among the people that no one dared to utter a word.

Even Jeremiah himself was forbidden to pray (Jeremiah 11:14) because God had resolved to destroy those miserable men for whom there was no hope of repentance. Some therefore understand that an access to prayer is here promised, so that the faithful and the servants of God might pray for the prosperity of the city.

But this explanation seems to me to be too far-fetched. I take, therefore, a simpler interpretation—that God would give them abundance of peace, or rather the prolonging or continuance of peace. By peace is meant, as is well known, a happy state.

Then to Jerusalem, reduced to extreme miseries, God promises joyful things, so that she should afterwards live prosperously. And he adds the word truth, which is to be taken here for stability, as, indeed, everywhere in Scripture, as though he had said that the prosperous state of the city would not be for a month, or a short time, but continual and even perpetual, as he declares in the next verse.

By the word building, God means that they would return to their own country for this purpose—that they might remain secure in it. And this promise was greatly needed, since the Jews were surrounded by enemies on every side; for all their neighbors had united against them and were very hostile, so that they never ceased to create new troubles. For this reason, mention is made of building, as though the Prophet had said that the prosperity of the city would be lasting, for it would be so founded that it would not fall or totter from any kind of assault.

But he promises deliverance not only to the tribe of Judah but also to the whole kingdom of Israel. Though very few returned, yet God offered the benefit which he had promised to all alike. Then, as has often been said, this promise is also to be extended to the coming of Christ. For God did not confine his favor to those few years when liberty was granted to the Jews as they returned from their exile in Babylon; but he also included the eternal salvation that remained for them, of which their return was the prelude.

He says first, that He would cleanse them from all iniquity, and then, that He would be propitious to all their iniquities. He no doubt repeats the same thing; but the words are not superfluous, for it was necessary to seriously remind the Jews of their many vices, of which they were indeed conscious, and yet they did not repent.

Since they then perversely followed their own wills, it was needful for the Prophet to goad them sharply, so that they might know that they were exposed to eternal destruction, if God’s mercy, and that by no means common, did not come to their aid. Here, then, he represents the greatness of their sins, so that he might, on the other hand, extol the mercy of God.

By the word cleanse, one might understand regeneration, and this may seem probable to those who are not well acquainted with the language of Scripture; but טהר, theer, means properly to expiate.

This then does not refer to regeneration, but to forgiveness; hence I have said, that the Prophet mentions two things here in the same sense: that God would cleanse them from iniquity, and that He would pardon all their iniquities. We see now the reason why the Prophet used so many words in testifying that God would be so merciful to them as to forgive their sins; it was because, though loaded with many vices, they nevertheless extenuated their heinousness, as hypocrites always do.

The favor of God, then, would never have been appreciated by the Jews if the atrocity of their guilt had not been clearly made known to them. And this also was the reason why He said, I will pardon all their iniquities. He had said before, I will cleanse them from all iniquity; then He added, I will pardon all their iniquities. For by this change in the number the Prophet shows the mass and variety of their sins, as though he had said that the heaps of evils were so multiplied that there was need of no common mercy in God to receive them into favor.

He says further, By which they have sinned against Me, and by which they have acted wickedly against Me. These words confirm what I have already said: that the Jews were severely reproved by the Prophet, in order that they might first consider and reflect on what they deserved, and secondly, that they might extol the favor of God according to its value.

We must at the same time observe that the Jews had their attention directed to the first and chief ground of confidence, so that they might have some hope of a restoration. For the origin of all God’s blessings, or the fountain from which all good things flow, is the favor of God in being reconciled to us.

He may, indeed, supply us bountifully with whatever we may wish, while He Himself is alienated from us, as we see to be the case with the ungodly, who often abound in all good things. Hence, they glory and boast as though they had God, as it were, in a manner, bound to them.

But whatever God grants and bestows on the ungodly cannot, properly speaking, be deemed as an evidence of His favor and grace; rather, He thus renders them more inexcusable while He treats them so indulgently.

There is then no saving good except what flows from the paternal love of God.

We must now see how God becomes propitious to us. He becomes so when He does not impute our sins to us. For unless pardon goes before, He must necessarily be adverse to us; for as long as He looks on us as we are, He finds in us nothing but what deserves vengeance.

We are therefore always accursed before God until He buries our sins. Hence I have said that the first fountain of all the good things that are to be hoped for is here briefly made known to the Jews: namely, the gratuitous favor of God in reconciling them to Himself.

Let us then learn to direct all our thoughts to God’s mercy whenever we seek what seems necessary to us. For if we catch, as it were, at God’s blessings, and do not consider from where they proceed, we shall be caught by a bait.

As fish through their voracity strangle themselves (for they snatch at the hook as though it were food), so also the ungodly, who with avidity seize on God’s blessings and do not care that He should be propitious to them, swallow them, as it were, to their own ruin.

That all things then may turn to our salvation, let us learn always to make a beginning with the paternal love of God, and let us know that the cause of that love is His immeasurable goodness, through which it comes that He reconciles us freely to Himself by not imputing our sins to us.

We may also gather another doctrine from this passage: that if the grievousness of our sins terrifies us, yet all diffidence ought to be overcome, because God does not promise His mercy only to those sinners who have fallen slightly, either through ignorance or error, but even to those who have heaped sins on sins.

There is therefore no reason why the greatness of our sins should overwhelm us; rather, we may always venture to flee to the hope of pardon, since we see that it is offered indiscriminately to all—even to those who had been extremely wicked before God, and had not only sinned, but had also become, in a manner, apostates, so that they did not cease in all ways to provoke God’s vengeance.

Here God testifies that his favor would be such as to deserve praise in all the world, or, which is the same thing, that his bounty would be worthy of being remembered. Therefore he says, that it would be to him for a name among all nations; but as he designed to extol the greatness of his glory, he adds, a praise and an honor, or a glory; and it is emphatically added, among all nations. And this passage shows us that the Prophet did not speak only of the people’s return, and that this prophecy should not be confined to the state of the city, such as it was before the coming of Christ. For though the favor of God was known among the Chaldeans and some other nations, it was not yet known throughout the whole world, for he says, among all the nations of the earth; and God no doubt included all parts of the world.

We therefore conclude that the favor of which the Prophet speaks refers to the kingdom of Christ, for God did not then attain a name for himself among all nations, but, as is well known, only in some portions of the East. When, therefore, he says that the favor he would show to his people would be to him a name, he no doubt promises that deliverance which was eventually brought by Christ.

And in the same sense, what follows must be taken, Because they shall hear, etc.; for the relative אשר asher, is here a causative, as the Prophet here expresses the way and manner in which glory and honor would come to God on account of the deliverance of his people, because the nations would hear of this. This has been done by the preaching of the Gospel, because only then was God’s goodness towards the Jews everywhere made known, when the knowledge of the Law and of prophetic truth came to foreigners who had previously heard nothing of the true doctrine of religion. We now understand the design of the Holy Spirit.

Furthermore, by these words God exhorts all to gratitude; for whenever the fountain of God’s blessings is pointed out to us, we should not be indifferent, but be stimulated to give thanks to him. When therefore God declares that the redemption of his people would be a name to him among all nations, he thus shows to the godly that they should not be inactive, but should proclaim his goodness. And at the same time it serves for confirmation, when God intimates that he would be the Redeemer of his people, in order that he might acquire a name for himself; for a contrast is to be understood here: that in this kindness, he would not regard what the Jews deserved, but would seek for a cause in himself, as it is expressed more fully elsewhere: Not on your account will I do this, O house of Israel (Ezekiel 36:22). And the faithful sing in their turn: Not on our account, O Lord, but on account of thy name (Psalms 79:9; Psalms 115:1).

We see then that God brings forward his own name, so that the Jews might continue to entertain hope, however guilty they may have been, and acknowledge themselves worthy of eternal destruction.

If we read, “It shall be to me for a name of joy,” the sense would be, “for a name in which I delight.” If we read the words apart, “For a name and joy,” the sense would still be the same; nor should it be deemed unreasonable that God testifies that it would be to him for joy. For though he is not moved and influenced as we are, yet this mode of speaking is elsewhere adopted, as in Psalm 104:31: The Lord shall rejoice in his works.

He afterwards adds, they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness, etc. The word כל cal, “all,” denotes greatness and is to be taken emphatically. The words, however, may at first sight appear peculiar: they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness, etc.; for it seems unreasonable that men should fear when they acknowledge God’s goodness, as this, on the contrary, is a reason for joy and confidence.

This clause is sometimes applied to the ungodly, for they have no taste for God’s favor so as to be cheered by it; on the contrary, they fret and gnash their teeth when God appears kind to his people. For they are vexed when they see that they are excluded from the enjoyment of those blessings, which are laid up, as it is said elsewhere, for those who fear God.

But I have not the least doubt that the Prophet means the conversion of the Gentiles when he says, they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness, etc.; as if he had said, that not only would the name of God be known among the nations, so that they would proclaim that he had been merciful to his people, but that it would at the same time be the effect and influence of his grace that the nations would become obedient to God.

Moreover, it is usual to designate the worship and fear of God by the words fear, dread, and trembling. For though the faithful do not dread the presence of God, but cheerfully present themselves to him whenever he invites them, and in full confidence call on him, there is yet no reason why they should not tremble when they think of his majesty. For these two things are connected: namely, the fear and trembling which humble us before God, and the confidence which raises us up so as to dare to approach him familiarly. Here then the conversion of the Gentiles is pointed out; as if the Prophet had said that the favor of deliverance to the Church would not only serve the purpose of making the Gentiles proclaim God’s goodness, but would also have the effect of bringing them under his authority, so that they might reverence and fear him as the only true God. He again adds the word peace, but in the same sense as before: he mentions goodness, the cause of prosperity, and then he adds peace or prosperity as its effect.

These two verses are connected and have been improperly divided, for the sentence is not complete. In the first place we have, Yet shall be heard, but what? The voice of joy, etc., as we find in the following verse.

Jeremiah confirms extensively what he had taught concerning the return of the people, because many strong supports were needed so that the faithful might proceed in their course with confidence. It was indeed difficult to gather courage during such a great calamity. Even if they had a short time to breathe, new trials constantly arising might have cast them down and left them prostrate. It is no wonder, then, that the Prophet here speaks at length about that favor which was considered incredible; furthermore, the memory of it might not have always remained fixed in the hearts of the faithful if repeated confirmation had not been given.

He again introduces God as the speaker, so that the promise might have more effect. Again, he says, shall be heard in this place—even in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem—the voice of joy, etc. He repeats what we noticed yesterday: that the Jews put every obstacle they could in the way of their restoration.

The narrowness of our hearts, we know, in a way excludes access for God’s favor; for being filled, indeed swollen, with unbelief, we do not allow God’s grace to enter into us. So the Jews, by desponding and imagining that their calamity was incurable and that no remedy was to be expected, rejected as far as they could the promised favor of deliverance.

This, then, is what the Prophet again rebukes them for: namely, that they said that the whole country and all the cities were destroyed, so that neither man nor beast remained. This was, indeed, the fact at that time, and the Jews had spoken correctly.

But, as was said yesterday, the ungodly never feel the scourges of God without rushing headlong into despair. What is condemned, then, is this: that the Jews thought that they were to perish without any hope of deliverance.

Hence the Prophet here reproves their unbelief and at the same time exhorts them to entertain hope. Yet he testifies that God’s grace would surpass all their wickedness.

Heard then shall be the voice of joy, and the voice of gladness; the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride; that is, marriages shall again be celebrated. This way of speaking often occurs in the Prophets when they refer to the joyful condition of the city and of the people, for in seasons of mourning no one thinks of marrying a wife, so that marriage-feasts then cease, as well as all festivals. Then the Prophet briefly shows that God would put an end to the calamities of the people and give them reasons for rejoicing after he had for a time punished their sins.

But he also shows what kind of joy their joy would be: The voice of them who shall say, Praise ye Jehovah of hosts. Here he distinguishes between the faithful and the ungodly, for joy is common to both when prosperity happens to them; for God’s children may rejoice when the Lord shows himself to them as a bountiful Father.

But the profane exult with intemperate joy and, at the same time, make no mention of God, for they live only on present things. The faithful, however, raise their thoughts to God and never rejoice without thanksgiving. Thus they consecrate and sanctify their joy, while the ungodly, by polluting God’s blessing, also contaminate their joy.

We ought then to take special notice of this difference which the Prophet here indicates between godly and profane joy. For the children of this world do indeed exult but, as we have said, immoderately in their joy; they are unthankful to God and never duly reflect on his goodness. Indeed, they deliberately turn away their eyes and their thoughts from God.

The faithful, however, always have regard for God whenever things go well for them, for they know that everything flows to them from God’s goodness alone.

Hence he says, Heard shall be the voice of them who shall say, Praise ye Jehovah, for he is good, etc. The Prophet here alludes to the customary practice of singing, which is spoken of in sacred history.

For we know that when the Temple was dedicated, the praises of God were celebrated, and the Levites always sang, For his mercy is for ever. They first exhorted others to praise God, and to every sentence this repetition was added: For his mercy is for ever.

So the Prophet refers to what had formerly been in common use: Heard then shall be that usual song, Praise ye Jehovah, for his mercy is for ever.

He then adds, Of them who shall bring praise to the house of Jehovah; for I will restore the captivity of the land. He mentions sacrifices, because the service according to the Law required that these be added as evidences of gratitude.

God indeed had no need of sacrifices, nor did he delight in external displays; but these exercises of religion were necessary for an unrefined people, still learning the elements of truth.

The Prophet then speaks here with reference to a particular time. When he connects sacrifices with praises and thanksgiving, he nevertheless shows for what purpose God required sacrifices to be then offered to him, lest the Jews should think that God was pacified when a calf had been slain.

He then shows that all this had been prescribed to them and enjoined for this end: that they might show themselves thankful.

This metonymical mode of speaking should then be carefully observed; for from this we conclude that sacrifices in themselves were of no importance, but were only acceptable and a pleasing aroma to God on this account: because they were evidences of gratitude.

He then adds, To the house of Jehovah. Now, this also should finally be noted: it is not sufficient for one to be thankful to God, but public thanksgiving is also required, so that we may mutually encourage one another.

We also know that confession should not be separated from faith; as faith has its seat in the heart, so also outward confession proceeds from it. Therefore, it is inevitable that the inner feeling must break forth from the soul, and the tongue be connected with the heart.

It follows from this that all those are guilty of falsehood who say that they have faith within but are at the same time silent and, as far as they can, unworthily bury the benefits of God.

And as I have said, this zeal is required of all the godly, so that they may encourage one another to praise God. For it was for this purpose and for this reason that express mention is made of the Temple: that is, that the faithful might understand that God is to be worshipped not only privately and behind closed doors, but also that a public profession should be made, so that they may together with common consent celebrate and acknowledge his benefits and blessings.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as we do not cease to separate ourselves often from you, we may at least know that reconciliation is prepared for us, provided we seek it by a true and sincere faith in your only-begotten Son. May we so return to you as truly to loathe ourselves on account of our sins. And, relying on your infinite mercy, may we never doubt that you will be reconciled to us, until, having finally finished our present course of life and being cleansed from all the pollutions of the flesh, we shall be clothed with that celestial glory which your Son by his death and resurrection has obtained for us. Amen.