God [is] the Lord, which hath showed us light
These are the words of the people, acknowledging divine favours; particularly that the Lord had caused his face to shine upon them, as the priest wished for, ( Numbers 6:25 ) . The Lord might be said to show them light, by sending the Messiah to them, who came a light into the world; by making a Gospel day, for which they expressed their gladness, ( Psalms 118:24 ) ; by causing the light of his glorious Gospel to shine into their hearts; by making them who were darkness light, the darkness of ignorance and unbelief to pass away, and the true light to shine; by lifting up the light of his countenance upon them, and giving them hopes of the light of glory and happiness, and making them meet to be partakers of the inheritance with the saints in light; for all which they are thankful, and call for sacrifices;
bind the sacrifice with cords, [even] unto the horns of the altar;
that is, the lamb, as the Targum and Aben Ezra. Take a lamb for sacrifice, and bind it with cords; and being bound, lead it to the altar; there slay it, and then pour the blood upon the horns of it; which were the usual rites in sacrifice. Or bring a large number of sacrifices bound, as many as will fill the court, even up to the horns of the altar, upon this joyful occasion: for the sacrifice was not bound to the horns of the altar; but it denotes here such a number of sacrifices as would fill the court, and reach thither; so Gussetius F8 interprets it very rightly. But we are not to think of slain beasts, but of holy and living sacrifices, even the persons of God's people; their bodies and souls, and their sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving; since this refers to Gospel times; whose hearts in such service are to be united to fear the Lord, and fixed trusting in him; and are to be drawn to it with the cords of love, which are more than all whole burnt offerings; and which sacrifices are to be brought to the altar, Christ; which is most holy, and sanctifies gifts and persons, and renders them acceptable to God; and which is to be compassed about with songs of deliverance and salvation, by persons from every quarter, the four corners of the earth. Luther renders it,
``adorn the feast with leaves;''and others,
``bind on the feast day branches,''of trees, as was usual on the feast of tabernacles; see ( Leviticus 23:40 ) ; and it was usual with the Heathens to strew their altars with green herbs and flowers F9, particularly vervain, put for all other sweet herbs {k}: hence Ovid F12 calls them "herbosas aras"; which the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions seem to countenance.