Matthew Henry Commentary Isaiah 59:1-8

"Behold, Jehovah`s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue muttereth wickedness. None sueth in righteousness, and none pleadeth in truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. They hatch adders` eggs, and weave the spider`s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth; and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there is no justice in their goings: they have made them crooked paths; whosoever goeth therein doth not know peace." — Isaiah 59:1-8 (ASV)

If our prayers are not answered, and the salvation we wait for is not accomplished for us, it is not because God is weary of hearing prayer, but because we are weary of praying. Here we see sin in its true colors, exceedingly sinful; and we see sin in its consequences, exceedingly hurtful, separating from God, and thus separating us not only from all good but to all evil.

Yet many people feed, to their own destruction, on unbelieving and wicked systems. Neither can their skill or ingenuity, in devising schemes, like a spider weaving its web, deliver or save them.

No schemes of self-achieved salvation will be of any use to those who despise the Redeemer's robe of righteousness. Everyone who is lacking the Spirit of Christ runs swiftly to evil of some sort; but those who disregard divine truth and justice are strangers to peace.