Hosea 14:3

3 Assur shall not save us, we shall not go upon horse; and we shall no more say, Our gods be the works of our hands; for thou shalt have mercy on that motherless child, which is in thee. (Assyria shall not save us, and we shall not go on horses; we shall no more say to the works of our hands, Ye be our gods; for only in thee is there mercy, or love, for the motherless child.)

Hosea 14:3 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 14:3

Ashur shall not save us
This is still a continuation of the words repenting and returning Israel are directed to make use of before the Lord, declaring they would not do any more as they had done; to Assyria, or the kings of Assyria, as the Targum, for help, and desire assistance, and expect deliverance and salvation from thence; see ( Hosea 5:13 ) ( 7:11 ) ( 8:9 ) ; we will not ride upon horses;
to seek for help elsewhere; or go to Egypt for them, as they had done; or put their trust in them for safety, in a time of war; or think to make their escape by them when in danger; see ( Psalms 20:8 ) ( Isaiah 31:1 Isaiah 31:3 ) ; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, [ye are] our
gods;
that is, say so to, or concerning, their idols, which were made by their hands, or by their orders, as they had formerly done to the golden calf in the wilderness, and to the calves at Dan and Bethel; see ( Exodus 32:4 ) ( 1 Kings 12:28 ) ; now, by all these expressions is meant, that they would determine not to put any confidence in any creature, or in any creature performance; that they would not trust in their own merits, but in the mercy of God through Christ for the of their sins; nor in any works of righteousness for their justification before God, and acceptance with him; nor expect salvation in any other way than by the free grace of God, and his abundant mercy in Christ: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy;
and in thee only; hereby declaring that the Lord was the only Saviour; that there was salvation in Christ, and in no other; and that they would have no other saviour but him; that they would look to the mercy of God proclaimed in him, and communicated from and through him, the mercy seat, and to his mercy alone for eternal life; in whom the most destitute persons, as the fatherless, who are destitute of friends, of help and assistance, of counsel and advice, find favour, kindness, and mercy, even such as are most hopeless and helpless; which is a great encouragement to look to the Lord, to trust in him, and hope in his mercy.

Hosea 14:3 In-Context

1 Israel, be thou turned again to thy Lord God, for thou falledest down in thy wickedness. (Israel, return thou to the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen down in thy wickedness.)

2 Take ye words with you, and be ye turned again to the Lord; and say ye to him, Do thou away all wickedness, and take thou good; and we shall yield the calves of our lips. (Make ye your words ready, and return to the Lord; and say ye to him, Do thou away all our wickedness, and accept our prayers; and we shall give, or offer, sacrifices with our lips.)

3 Assur shall not save us, we shall not go upon horse; and we shall no more say, Our gods be the works of our hands; for thou shalt have mercy on that motherless child, which is in thee. (Assyria shall not save us, and we shall not go on horses; we shall no more say to the works of our hands, Ye be our gods; for only in thee is there mercy, or love, for the motherless child.)

4 (And the Lord saith,) I shall make whole the sorrows of them; I shall love them willfully (I shall love them willingly), for my strong vengeance is turned away from them. [I shall heal the contrition of them; I shall love them of my free will, for my strong vengeance is turned away from them.]

5 I shall be as dew, and Israel shall burgeon as a lily. And the root thereof shall break out as of the Lebanon; (I shall be like the dew, and Israel shall flower like a lily. And it shall be rooted like the mighty trees of Lebanon;)