Isaiah 62:4

4 Thou shalt no more be called forsaken, and thy land shall no more be called desolate; but thou shalt be called My will in that, and thy land (That that) shall be inhabited; for it pleased the Lord in thee, and thy land shall be inhabited. (Thou shalt no more be called Deserted, and thy land shall no more be called Desolate, but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, or I am pleased, or delighted, with her, and thy land shall be called Beulah, or Married; for the Lord is pleased with thee, and thy land is wedded to him.)

Isaiah 62:4 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 62:4

Thou shall no more be termed Forsaken
That is, of the Lord her God, as she had seemed to be to others, and thought to be so by herself, ( Isaiah 49:14 ) , not having so much of his gracious presence as is desirable; sensible communion with him being withheld; the word and ordinances not owned and blessed, or very little; and few souls converted; and the interest of Christ, labouring under many difficulties and discouragements, under the reproaches and persecutions of men, and so looked as if forsaken of God; but in the latter day all these complaints shall be removed; and the presence of God will be very manifest in his churches, and among his people; and they will appear to be his care and charge; see ( Isaiah 60:15 ) :

neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate;
as the Gentile world was before the preaching of the Gospel in it; and as the land of Israel now is, and the Jewish people are, having rejected the Messiah, and continuing in impenitence and unbelief; and as the church of Christ is, when the word and ordinances are neglected, or little success attends them; but now more shall be the children of the desolate than of the married wife; many souls shall be born again in Zion, and many sons and daughters brought there, and brought up there, and therefore shall not be called desolate, ( Isaiah 49:19-21 ) ( 54:1 ) :

but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah;
the former of these was the name of Hezekiah's mother, ( 2 Kings 21:1 ) and a fit name for the church of Christ, who is pleasant to him for delights, ( Song of Solomon 7:6 ) and the latter well agrees with her being married to Christ. The meaning of these names is explained in the next clause; or the reason of their being given: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land is married;
the former explains "Hephzibah", which signifies "my delight is in her"; Christ delighted in his church from everlasting, as they were the objects of his own and his Father's love; as chosen in him, and given to him as his spouse and bride, ( Proverbs 8:31 ) and he delights in them in time, as clothed with his righteousness, washed in his blood, and adorned with the graces of his Spirit; he delights in their company, to hear their voice, and see their countenance; they are the excellent in the earth, in whom is all his delight, ( Psalms 16:2 ) , and he will delight in them hereafter, in the spiritual reign, when he will glorify and beautify them, and make them an eternal excellency, ( Isaiah 60:7 Isaiah 60:13 Isaiah 60:15 ) , and in the personal reign, when they shall be as a bride adorned for her husband, and his tabernacle shall be among them, and he will reign with them, and they with him; during which time he will be presenting them to himself, and delighting in them, as a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, ( Revelation 21:2 Revelation 21:3 ) ( Ephesians 5:27 ) and in heaven to all eternity. The latter clause explains "Beulah", which signifies "married", as the church secretly was to Christ from all eternity; in the latter day the espousals of her to him will be more open and manifest; then the marriage of the Lamb will be come, and it will more clearly appear that she is in such a state, by the numerous converts in her, or sons and daughters that will be born in her to Christ, both of Jews and Gentiles, ( Revelation 19:7 Revelation 19:8 ) ( Isaiah 66:8 ) .

Isaiah 62:4 In-Context

2 And heathen men shall see thy just man, and all kings shall see thy noble man; and a new name, which the mouth of the Lord named, shall be called to thee. (And the heathen shall see thy justice, and all the kings shall see thy nobility; and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall proclaim.)
3 And thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a diadem of the realm in the hand of thy God.
4 Thou shalt no more be called forsaken, and thy land shall no more be called desolate; but thou shalt be called My will in that, and thy land (That that) shall be inhabited; for it pleased the Lord in thee, and thy land shall be inhabited. (Thou shalt no more be called Deserted, and thy land shall no more be called Desolate, but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, or I am pleased, or delighted, with her, and thy land shall be called Beulah, or Married; for the Lord is pleased with thee, and thy land is wedded to him.)
5 For a young man shall dwell with a virgin, and thy sons shall dwell in thee; and the spouse shall have joy on the spousess, and thy God shall have joy on thee. (For like a young man shall live with a virgin, so thou, his sons and daughters, shall live with him; and like the spouse shall have joy in the spousess, so thy God shall have joy in thee.)
6 Jerusalem, I have ordained keepers on thy walls, all day and all night without end they shall not be still. Ye that think on the Lord, be not still, (Jerusalem, I have ordained guards upon thy walls, and they shall not keep silent day or night, but shall always be ready to sound the alarm. Ye who think upon the Lord, be not silent,)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.