Matthew Henry Commentary Isaiah 54:6-10

"For Jehovah hath called thee as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In overflowing wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting lovingkindness will I have mercy on thee, saith Jehovah thy Redeemer. For this is [as] the waters of Noah unto me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but my lovingkindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall my covenant of peace be removed, saith Jehovah that hath mercy on thee." — Isaiah 54:6-10 (ASV)

As God is slow to anger, so he is swift to show mercy. And how sweet the returns of mercy would be when God comes and comforts them!

He will have mercy on them. God's gathering his people arises from his mercy, not from any merit of theirs; and it is with great mercies, with everlasting kindness.

The wrath is little, the mercies great; the wrath for a moment, the kindness everlasting. We are neither to despond under afflictions nor to despair of relief.

Mountains have been shaken and removed, but the promises of God have never been broken by any event. Mountains and hills also signify great men. Creature-confidences will fail; but when our friends fail us, our God does not.

All this is equally applicable to the church at large and to each believer. God will rebuke and correct his people for sins; but he will not cast them off.

Let this encourage us to be all the more diligent to make our calling and election sure.