15 Whoso is walking righteously, And is speaking uprightly, Kicking against gain of oppressions, Shaking his hands from taking hold on a bribe, Stopping his ear from hearing of blood, And shutting his eyes from looking on evil, 16 He high places doth inhabit, Strongholds of rock 'are' his high tower, His bread hath been given, his waters stedfast. 17 A king in his beauty, see do thine eyes, They see a land afar off. 18 Thy heart doth meditate terror, Where 'is' he who is counting? Where 'is' he who is weighing? Where 'is' he who is counting the towers? 19 The strong people thou seest not, A people deeper of lip than to be understood, Of a scorned tongue, there is no understanding. 20 See Zion, the city of our meetings, Thine eyes see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, A tent not taken down, Not removed are its pins for ever, And none of its cords are broken. 21 But there mighty 'is' Jehovah for us, A place of rivers—streams broad of sides, No ship with oars doth go into it, And a mighty ship doth not pass over it. 22 For Jehovah our judge, Jehovah our lawgiver, Jehovah our king—He doth save us. 23 Left have been thy ropes, They strengthen not rightly their mast, They have not spread out a sail, Then apportioned hath been a prey of much spoil, The lame have taken spoil. 24 Nor doth an inhabitant say, 'I was sick,' The people that is dwelling in it, is forgiven of iniquity!
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 33:15-24
Commentary on Isaiah 33:15-24
(Read Isaiah 33:15-24)
The true believer watches against all occasions of sin. The Divine power will keep him safe, and his faith in that power will keep him easy. He shall want nothing needful for him. Every blessing of salvation is freely bestowed on all that ask with humble, believing prayer; and the believer is safe in time and for ever. Those that walk uprightly shall not only have bread given, and their water sure, but they shall, by faith, see the King of kings in his beauty, the beauty of holiness. The remembrance of the terror they were in, shall add to the pleasure of their deliverance. It is desirable to be quiet in our own houses, but much more so to be quiet in God's house; and in every age Christ will have a seed to serve him. Jerusalem had no large river running by it, but the presence and power of God make up all wants. We have all in God, all we need, or can desire. By faith we take Christ for our Prince and Saviour; he reigns over his redeemed people. All that refuse to have Him to reign over them, make shipwreck of their souls. Sickness is taken away in mercy, when the fruit of it is the taking away of sin. If iniquity be taken away, we have little reason to complain of outward affliction. This last verse leads our thoughts, not only to the most glorious state of the gospel church on earth, but to heaven, where no sickness or trouble can enter. He that blotteth out our transgressions, will heal our souls.