He shall pray unto God
As the former verse expresses the condition of the body of the
man recovered from sickness, this the frame of his soul, and the
spiritual blessings enjoyed by him: some understand this of his
praying in the time of his affliction, and consider it as one
means of his recovery; and indeed a time of affliction is a time
for prayer; and which brings a good man to it, who in health and
prosperity has been negligent of it; such an one will make his
application to God for deliverance, and not to the creature; and
it is his mercy and privilege he has a God to pray unto, who can
and will help him. But according to the course and connection of
the words, it seems rather to respect what the good man would do,
and the frame he would be in upon his recovery; who would entreat
the Lord to make him thankful the mercy received, and accept of
his thanksgiving for the same; that his affliction might appear
to be sanctified unto him, and that he is much the better for it,
more holy and more humble; and that he would manifest his
pardoning grace to him for all the sins and transgressions he had
been guilty of, his murmurings and repinings, and everything else
during his affliction; and that he may make use of his health and
strength given him in the service of God, and for the glory of
his name;
and he will be favourable to him;
which, if understood of the time of affliction, it may be
interpreted of his laying no more on him than he will enable him
to bear, and supporting him under it; of granting his gracious
presence in it, and of his taking notice of him, visiting him,
knowing, owning, and choosing him in the furnace of affliction,
and manifesting his care unto him; and of the deliverance of him
out of it. But if it respects the man as recovered out of
affliction, it denotes further discoveries of the special care
and favour of God to him, which are very enlivening and
refreshing, strengthening and supporting; and of his gracious
acceptance of his person, and of his sacrifices of prayer,
praise, and thanksgiving, through Christ the Mediator and
messenger of the covenant;
and he shall see his face with joy:
that is, either God who is favourable to him, he looks with a
smiling countenance upon the man now recovered, who before seemed
to look upon him with frowns in his countenance, there being a
change in the outward dispensations of his providence towards
him, though none in his heart: his countenance beholds the
upright with pleasure, whether they see it or not; he looks upon
his people in Christ with the utmost complacency and delight, and
particularly when they come to him in the exercise of grace, with
their prayers, praises, and thanksgivings. Or the man recovered
from illness, God being favourable to him, he beholds the face of
God with joy, who perhaps had hid it from him in his affliction,
which caused trouble; but now showing his face and favour, it
causes joy and exultation, even a jubilee in his soul. He beholds
him in Christ as the God of grace and peace; and through him can
come to him, and look him in the face with comfort and pleasure,
as nothing is more delightful to him than the light of his
countenance;
for he will render unto man his righteousness:
not the sick man recovered render to another man what is his
right and due, or what he may have wronged him of; for which
being reproved by the affliction, and convicted of, is desirous
of making restitution: but God, who will render, return, or
restore to the man recovered his righteousness, which is the
foundation of his joy; not render to him according to his own
righteousness, as the Targum, which would be but a poor
recompense if strictly given; nor restore to him the
righteousness he lost in Adam, which is but a creature
righteousness; but the righteousness of Christ, as Mr. Broughton,
which is the good man's or the believer's in Christ, because
wrought out for him, imputed to him, and bestowed as a free gift
on him. Now though this righteousness can never be lost, being an
everlasting one, yet a sense of interest in it may, which is
returned, restored, and rendered to a man, when that
righteousness is afresh revealed to him from faith to faith; the
consequence of which is peace and comfort, joy and triumph.