John Gill Commentary


John Gill Commentary
"Jehovah, in trouble have they visited thee; they poured out a prayer [when] thy chastening was upon them." — Isaiah 26:16 (ASV)
Lord, in trouble have they visited you
This, and the two following verses (Isaiah 26:17Isaiah 26:18) , represent the troubles and disappointments of the church and people of God, before the destruction of antichrist; in which time of trouble they will visit the Lord, frequent the throne of grace, as saints in afflictions are wont to do; and sometimes this is the end to be answered by afflictions, (Hosea 5:15) : they poured out a prayer ;
or "muttering" F5 ; they will pray with a low voice, in an humble and submissive way, as persons in dejected circumstances; not a few words, but many, will they use; their petitions will be numerous; they will continue praying, and be constant at it, and out of the abundance of their hearts their mouth will speak; and they will pour out their souls and their complaints to the Lord, though privately, and with a low voice, and with groans unutterable:
[when] your chastening [was] upon them ;
the afflicting hand of God, not as a punishment, but as a fatherly chastisement upon them; so all their persecutions from men are considered as permitted by the Lord for their instruction and correction; and these will not drive them from God, but bring them to him to seek him by prayer and supplication.