For Zion's sake I will not {a} hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until its righteousness shall go forth as {b} brightness, and its salvation as a lamp that burneth.

(a) The prophet says that he will never cease to declare to the people the good tidings of their deliverance.

(b) Till they have full deliverance: and this the prophet speaks to encourage all other ministers to the setting forth of God's mercies toward his Church.

Wesley's Notes

62:1 Zion's sake - Zion and Jerusalem are both put for the church, Heb 12:22. My peace - These seem to be the words of the prophet strongly resolving, notwithstanding all difficulties, to solicit God for the church's happiness, and constantly excite to the belief of it by his preaching, though it were long before it came, for Isaiah lived near two hundred years before this was accomplished. Righteousness - With reference to the Babylonians, understand it of the righteousness of God, who hath promised his people deliverance, and he must be righteous, and so understand salvation before; or rather, the vindicating of his people's cause in the eyes of the nations by the ruin of the Babylonians; he will shew that his people have a righteous cause. Lamp - And to that purpose is set up where it may be seen continually, to signify how eminently conspicuous this prosperous estate of the church should be among the nations, and as it may particularly relate to revealing of Christ unto the world.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 62

Isa 62:1-12. Intercessory Prayers for Zion's Restoration, Accompanying God's Promises of It, as the Appointed Means of Accomplishing It.

1. I-the prophet, as representative of all the praying people of God who love and intercede for Zion (compare Isa 62:6, 7; Ps 102:13-17), or else Messiah (compare Isa 62:6). So Messiah is represented as unfainting in His efforts for His people (Isa 42:4; 50:7).

righteousness thereof-not its own inherently, but imputed to it, for its restoration to God's favor: hence "salvation" answers to it in the parallelism. "Judah" is to be "saved" through "the Lord our (Judah's and the Church's) righteousness" (Jer 23:6).

as brightness-properly the bright shining of the rising sun (Isa 60:19; 4:5; 2Sa 23:4; Pr 4:18).

lamp-blazing torch.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

62:1-5 The Son of God here assures his church of his unfailing love, and his pleading for her under all trails and difficulties. She shall be called by a new name, a pleasant name, such as she was never called by before. The state of true religion in the world, before the preaching of the gospel, no man seemed to have any real concern for. God, by his grace, has wrought that in his church, which makes her his delight. Let us thence learn motives to holiness. If the Lord rejoices over us, we should rejoice in his service.