Isaiah 62:6

I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem,.... Not angels, as Jarchi; nor kings, as Kimchi; nor princes and civil magistrates, as others; nor the mourners in Zion, as Aben Ezra; but ministers of the Gospel; as the prophets of the Old Testament are called watch men, Isa 21:11, so ministers of the New, Isa 52:8 who are to watch in all things over themselves, and for the souls of men; for their good, and to guard them against that which is evil, pernicious, and dangerous, both in principle and practice, 2Ti 4:

Day nor night - There shall be a vigilant and industrious ministry. Ye - That is, are his servants. And here especially are meant his servants in ordinary, his remembrancers, such as put God in mind of his promise, and such as make the Lord to be remembered, putting his people in mind of him.

When gospel truths are cleared and vindicated, when gospel ordinances are duly administered in their purity and power, when the church becomes eminent for holiness and love, then Jerusalem is a praise in the earth, then it is in reputation.

The promises are here repeated and ratified of the great things God would do for his church, for the Jews after their return out of captivity and for the Christian church when it shall be set up in the world.

Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence - The faithful, and in particular the priests and Levites, are exhorted by the prophet to beseech God with unremitted importunity (compare Luk 18:1, etc.) to hasten the redemption of Sion. The image in this place is taken from the temple service; in which there was appointed a constant watch, day and night, by the Levites: and among them this seems to have belonged particularly to the singers, see 1Ch 9:

IN the opening verses of this chapter our Lord declares that He will not rest till His purpose of Grace is accomplished. "For Zion's sake will I not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest." His soul is set upon the perfection of His Church. There is never a moment when the heart of Christ ceases to beat high with desire for the salvation of His redeemed. From the dreadful work of making Atonement, He stayed not His hand, but set His face like a flint towards it, till He could say, "It is finished."

The watches in the East are announced by a loud cry to mark the vigilance of the watchmen. ye that . . . mention . . . Lord--Hebrew, "ye that are the Lord's remembrancers"; God's servants who by their prayers "put God in remembrance" of His promises (Isa 43:26); we are required to remind God, as if God could, which He cannot, forget His promises (Ps 119:49;

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

IN the opening verses of this chapter our Lord declares that He will not rest till His purpose of Grace is accomplished. "For Zion's sake will I not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest." His soul is set upon the perfection of His Church. There is never a moment when the heart of Christ ceases to beat high with desire for the salvation of His redeemed. From the dreadful work of making Atonement, He stayed not His hand, but set His face like a flint towards it, till He could say, "It is finished." And now, the work of the gathering of His chosen He carries on with quenchless zeal, never staying His Divine intercession, never withholding His hands from wielding that "All Power" which is given Him in Heaven and in earth. Mark well, Beloved, how He would have His people to be in tune with Himself! He will have no rest till salvation work is done! And He would not have us rest, but He would have us stirred with passionate desire and fired with holy zeal for the accomplishment of the Divine plan of Grace. Till He holds His peace, He will not allow us to be silent! You that have the Revised Version will be struck with the more literal and forcible rendering of our text—"You that are the Lord's remembrancers, take you no rest, and give Him no rest, till He establishes, and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth." A restless Savior calls upon His people to be restless and to make the Lord, Himself, restless—to give Him no rest till His chosen city is in full splendor, His chosen Church complete and glorious. Ah, when the three unite, the Son, the people whom He has redeemed and the Lord who works all things, then shall the golden age have come! Learn from this fact a valuable lesson, that Christ's determination to perform a work, His decree that it shall be so, is no argument for our idleness, but is the best plea and encouragement for our endeavors.

I have set watchmen upon thy walls - (See the notes at Isa 21:6-11). The speaker here is undoubtedly Yahweh; and by watchmen he means those whom he had appointed to be the instructors of his people - the ministers of religion. The name ‘watchmen’ is often given to them (Eze 3:17; Eze 33:7; see the notes at Isa 52:8; Isa 56:10). Which shall never hold their peace - The watches in the East are to this day performed by a loud cry as they go their rounds. This is done frequently in order to mark the time, and also to show that they are awake to their duty. “The watchmen in the camp of the caravans go their rounds, crying one after another, ‘God is one; He is merciful’; and often add, ‘Take heed to yourselves’“ - (Tavernier). The truth here taught is, that they who are appointed to be the ministers of religion should be ever watchful and unceasing in the discharge of their duty. Ye that make mention of the Lord - Margin, ‘That are the Lord’s remembrancers.’ These are evidently the words of the prophet addressing those who are watchmen, and urging them to do their duty, as he had said Isa 62:1 he was resolved to do his, Lowth renders this, ‘O ye that proclaim the name of Yahweh.’ Noyes, ‘O ye that praise Yahweh.’ But this does not express the sense of the original as well as the common version. The Hebrew word המזכירים hamazekiyriym, from זכר zâkar, “to remember”) means properly those bringing to remembrance, or causing to remember. It is a word frequently applied to the praise of God, or to the celebration of his worship Psa 20:7; Psa 38:1; Psa 45:17; Psa 70:1; Psa 102:12. […]