Chapter 12
12:1 And you shall say in that day: I will confess to you, O Lord, for you were angry with me: your wrath is turned away, and you have comforted me.
12:2 Behold, God is my savior, I will deal confidently, and will not fear: because the Lord is my strength, and my praise, and he is become my salvation.
12:3 You shall draw waters with joy out of the savior’s fountains:
12:4 And you shall say in that day: confess the Lord, and call upon his name: make his works known among the people: remember that his name is high.
12:5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done great things: show this forth in all the earth.
12:6 Rejoice, and praise, O you habitation of Zion: for great is he that is in the midst of you, the Holy One of Israel.
384 . I will confess . Here the thanksgiving for the benefit they received is set out, which indeed the prophet already saw by the prophetic spirit and promised to the people. Hence he does three things:
first, he sings a song,
second, he promises the benefit to the people: you shall draw waters (Isa 12:3),
third, he foretells that the people shall sing: and you shall say (Isa 12:4).
385 . Now, they were then oppressed by three evils, namely, by divine wrath for past faults, by fear of enemies for future punishments, by sorrow of heart for present evils.
Against the first, he recalls the mercy of God. And therefore he says, I will confess to you , I myself, O Lord , from now on, that is, I will praise you, for the people do not yet see the benefit for which he gives thanks, for what follows: for , at first justly, you were angry with me , for my sins, and your wrath is turned , into mercy, and you have comforted me , as to the effect of mercy, using the past tense for the future; and this concerns the return of the people from Babylon, and most of all, the consolation wrought through Christ: as I purposed to afflict you, when your fathers had provoked me to wrath, says the Lord, and I had no mercy: so turning again I have thought in these days to do good to the house of Judah, and Jerusalem (Zech 8:14–15).
386 . Against the second evil, he confesses confidence in God: behold, God is my savior , freeing the people from the slavery of Babylon, or more truly, who will save his people: for he shall save his people from their sins (Matt 1:21); fear you not, my servant Jacob, says the Lord, neither be dismayed, O Israel: for behold, I will save you from a country afar off (Jer 30:10).
Against the third evil, the power of divine strength: my strength , by which I subsist, and my praise , which I praise, having abandoned idols: I will love you, O Lord, my strength (Ps 17:2[18:1]).
387 . You shall draw . Here he promises the benefit: waters , of comfort, cooling them against the heat of tribulation.
388 . And you shall say . Here he foretells that the people shall also sing, after the benefit has been received, and it contains the mutual exhortation of the people to divine praise. Exhortation to three things is set out:
to the confession of divine praise,
to thanksgiving: sing to the Lord (Isa 12:5),
to shared rejoicing: rejoice (Isa 12:6).
Concerning the first, four things are set out:
for we either confess the Lord through faith: confess the Lord : with the heart, we believe unto justice: but, with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation (Rom 10:10);
or we call upon him through prayer: and call upon , below: seek the Lord, while he may be found: call upon him, while he is near (Isa 55:6);
or he is announced through preaching: make his works known , for he works many things to save them: hear the word of the Lord, O you nations, and declare it in the islands that are afar off (Jer 31:10);
or he is remembered through continual meditation, remember : remember his marvelous works (Ps 104[105]:5).
389 . Sing to the Lord . Here he exhorts them to thanksgiving;
and first, that they give thanks to God: sing to the Lord, for he has done great things , in freeing us: sing to the Lord a new canticle: because he has done wonderful things (Ps 97[98]:1);
second, that it be announced to the world: show this forth in all the earth : bless the God of heaven, give glory to him in the sight of all that live (Tob 12:6).
390 . Rejoice . Here the exhortation to exultation is set out;
and first, that there be joy in their hearts: rejoice ;
second, that there be songs of joy in their mouths, praise ;
third, the reason for both is set out, for great is he , below: it shall rejoice with joy and praise (Isa 35:2).
391 . It is to be noted on the words, you shall draw waters (Isa 12:3), that there is
first, the water of doctrine, below: all you that thirst, come to the waters (Isa 55:1);
second, of grace: he that believes in me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38);
third, of baptismal purity: unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5).
392 . Likewise, note that water is drawn from the fountain,
first, of divine wisdom: the word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom (Sir 1:5);
second, of eternal life: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water (Jer 2:13);
third, from the body of Christ: in that day there shall be a fountain open to the house of David (Zech 13:1).
393 . Note on the words, his works (Isa 12:4), that Christ found out
first, a brief word of salvation: he found out all the way of knowledge, and gave it to Jacob his servant, and to Israel his beloved (Bar 3:37);
second, a new mode of salvation: I have found wherein I may be merciful to him (Job 33:24);
third, a people to be saved: rejoice with me, because I have found the groat which I had lost (Luke 15:9).
394 . Note on the words, in the midst of you, the Holy One of Israel (Isa 12:6), that Christ is in our midst:
first, as a light to illuminate: he shone in his days as the morning star in the midst of a cloud (Sir 50:6);
second, as a mediator to reconcile: Jesus stood in the midst of the disciples and said to them: peace be to you (Luke 24:36);
third, as a servant to distribute: but I am in the midst of you, as he that serves (Luke 22:27).