Isaiah 55:3

Second, he promises escape from death: incline your ear: my soul shall live (Ps 118[119]:175); and also: your justifications I will never forget: for by them you have given me life (Ps 118[119]:93). Third, he promises power. And first, he sets out a similitude: and …

An everlasting covenant - That everlasting covenant of grace and peace which I made with Abraham, and his seed. Of David - Even that covenant which was made first with Abraham, and then with David, concerning those glorious and sure blessings which God hath promised to his people, one and the chief of which was giving Christ to die for their sins.

He is the Mediator and trustee of the covenant; to him this is applied, Acts xiii. They are the ta hosia (the word used there, and by the Septuagint here)-- the holy things of David, for they are confirmed by the holiness of God ( Ps. lxxxix. 35 ) and are intended to advance holiness among men.

34 ), which may serve as a key to this chapter; not but that it was intended for the comfort of the people of God that lived then, especially of the captives in Babylon, and others of the dispersed of Israel; but unto us was this gospel preached as well as unto them, and much more clearly and fully in the New Testament.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens

Incline your ear, and come unto me,.... The exhortations are repeated, to show the importance of them, how welcome these persons were to the Lord, and to his house, and his earnest and tender care and concern for them: hear, and your soul shall live; or, "that your soul may live (f)"; spiritually and eternally.

THIS very memorable chapter may be called God's own Gospel sermon. In reading it we forget Isaiah and only remember Jehovah. He speaks not here by the Prophet but in the first Person. God Himself says, "Incline your ear and come unto Me." Now, we value every single word of Holy Writ, but especially those words which come directly from the mouth of God Himself—not so much spoken for Him as by Him. Take heed that you turn not away from Him that speaks from Heaven.

THIS very memorable chapter may be called God's own Gospel sermon. In reading it we forget Isaiah and only remember Jehovah. He speaks not here by the Prophet but in the first Person. God Himself says, "Incline your ear and come unto Me." Now, we value every single word of Holy Writ, but especially those words which come directly from the mouth of God Himself—not so much spoken for Him as by Him. Take heed that you turn not away from Him that speaks from Heaven. These are not my words but the Words of the living God—it is not I that invite your attention to myself. It is your Maker, your God, saying to you, "Incline your ear and come unto Me: hear and your soul shall live. And I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." From the very beginning, this chapter is a loving pleading with sinners—it is a lifting of stumbling blocks and a clearing away of objections. Perhaps someone laments thus—"Who am I, that I should come to God? I am a poor, penniless sinner." The Lord forestalls the lament, by saying, "He that has no money. Come you, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." If you have no merit, if you have no claims, still come. Free Grace sounds its golden harp and mercy sings to it these words—"Without money and without price." If you stand back because you look upon your past life with sorrow and you say, "Alas, my God, I have wasted much time in another service," He tells you that He knows your past folly and He calls you to cease from it, saying, "Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which satisfies not?" He bids you now receive the substantial gifts of His Grace. For these will satisfy the soul. If anyone cries, "My needs are exceedingly great.

I GOT so far this morning [Sermon #2092, Volume 35—God's Own Gospel Call.] as to plead with men to come to God to hear what He had to say, to give diligent and earnest heed to His teaching about their souls and about salvation. And while I pleaded, I can truly say, with all the strength I had, I made this one of the master arguments that, in hearing, their soul would live—and in coming to God, they would find Him ready to enter into Covenant with them, "an everlasting Covenant, even the sure mercies of David."

I GOT so far this morning [Sermon #2092, Volume 35—God's Own Gospel Call.] as to plead with men to come to God to hear what He had to say, to give diligent and earnest heed to His teaching about their souls and about salvation. And while I pleaded, I can truly say, with all the strength I had, I made this one of the master arguments that, in hearing, their soul would live—and in coming to God, they would find Him ready to enter into Covenant with them, "an everlasting Covenant, even the sure mercies of David." That seemed to me to be one of the most astonishing Truths of God that was ever given to man to preach, that God would be a high contracting party with poor insignificant and guilty man, that He would make a Covenant with man! Yes, with you and with me—that He would bind Himself by a solemn promise, give His sacred pledge—and enter into a holy contract of mercy with the guilty sons of Adam! I thought that if men were in their right minds and God had taught their reason to be reasonable, they would be drawn to the Lord by such a wonderful promise as this, "I will make an everlasting Covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." Remember that there was a Covenant of old, which men broke—the Covenant of works, "This do, and you shall live." Keep such and such commands, and you shall be rewarded. That Covenant failed because man did not keep God's commands and so did not earn the promised reward. We broke the terms of that contract and it is no longer valid, except that we come under penalty for the breach of it, and that penalty is that we are to be cast away from God's Presence and to perish without hope, so far as that broken Covenant is concerned.

I will make an everlasting covenant - Hebrews אכרתה לכם ברית עולם echrethah lachem berith olam, “I will cut the old or everlasting covenant sacrifice with you.” That covenant sacrifice which was pointed out of old from the very beginning; and which is to last to the consummation of ages; viz., the Lamb of God that was slain from the foundation of the world. The sure mercies of David - That is, says Kimchi, “The Messiah,” called here David; as it is written, “David my servant shall be a prince over you.”

Hear, and your soul shall live - That is, if you attend to my command and embrace my promises, you shall live. Religion in the Scriptures is often represented as life Joh 5:40; Joh 6:33; Joh 8:13; Joh 20:31; Rom 5:17-18; Rom 6:4; Rom 8:6; 1Jn 5:12; Rev 2:7-10. It stands opposed to the death of sin - to spiritual and eternal death. And I will make an everlasting covenant with you - On the word ‘covenant,’ see the notes at Isa 28:18; Isa 42:6; Isa 49: