*H The land that was desolate and impassable shall be glad, and the wilderness shall rejoice, and shall flourish like the lily.
Ver. 1. Lily. Judea flourishes under Ezechias: but the Church does more so after the coming of Christ, to whom these expressions conduct us. C. — The Gentiles shall be converted and flourish, as this text shews. W.
*H It shall bud forth and blossom, and shall rejoice with joy and praise: the glory of Libanus is given to it: the beauty of Carmel, and Saron, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the beauty of our God.
Ver. 2. Joy. The primitive Christians rejoiced in a good conscience, and in suffering for the truth.
*H Strengthen ye the feeble hands, and confirm the weak knees.
Ver. 3. Knees. Ye prophets, comfort the people with these promises. C. — The apostles taught the Gentiles to do good. M.
*H Say to the fainthearted: Take courage, and fear not: behold your God will bring the revenge of recompense: God himself will come and will save you.
Ver. 4. Recompense. Christ will satisfy the justice of his Father. H. — He will redeem the world, and refute the false interpretations of the Bible. C. — He will bring the devil into subjection. M.
*H Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be free: for waters are broken out in the desert, and streams in the wilderness.
Ver. 6. Free. Our Saviour healed both soul and body, (C.) shewing by his works (Jo. x. W.) that he had fulfilled this prediction. Lu. vii. 22. Mat. xi. 5. — Waters. Baptism has sanctified the most wicked.
*H And that which was dry land, shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water. In the dens where dragons dwelt before, shall rise up the verdure of the reed and the bulrush.
Ver. 7. Dragons. Sea monsters. C. xxxiv. 13. C. — All shall be in proper order, neither too dry nor too wet. H.
*H And a path and a way shall be there, and it shall be called the holy way: the unclean shall not pass over it, and this shall be unto you a straight way, so that fools shall not err therein.
Ver. 8. Way, leading to Jerusalem. Idolaters, &c. shall not be there. C. lii. 1. This was only verified (C.) in the Catholic Church, where, though some wicked may be found, the truth still prevails; and holiness can be obtained no where else. H. — This Church is unspotted. Eph. v. 27. C. — Fools. The most simple may learn what is necessary for salvation, (M.) which will never be done by consulting Scripture alone. H.
*H No lion shall be there, nor shall any mischievous beast go up by it, nor be found there: but they shall walk there that shall be delivered.
Ver. 9. Lion. The devil's power shall be repressed, so that none will be deluded except by their own fault. M.
*H And the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and shall come into Sion with praise, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
Ver. 10. Sion. Before the defeat of Sennacherib, the roads were unsafe. C. xxxviii. 8. C.