Yeshayah 26:16

16 Hashem, in tzoros have they visited Thee, they davened a lachash (whisper) when Thy musar (chastening) was upon them.

Yeshayah 26:16 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 26:16

Lord, in trouble have they visited thee
This, and the two following verses ( Isaiah 26:17 Isaiah 26:18 ) , represent the troubles and disappointments of the church and people of God, before the destruction of antichrist; in which time of trouble they will visit the Lord, frequent the throne of grace, as saints in afflictions are wont to do; and sometimes this is the end to be answered by afflictions, ( Hosea 5:15 ) : they poured out a prayer;
or "muttering" ^F5; they will pray with a low voice, in an humble and submissive way, as persons in dejected circumstances; not a few words, but many, will they use; their petitions will be numerous; they will continue praying, and be constant at it, and out of the abundance of their hearts their mouth will speak; and they will pour out their souls and their complaints to the Lord, though privately, and with a low voice, and with groans unutterable: [when] thy chastening [was] upon them;
the afflicting hand of God, not as a punishment, but as a fatherly chastisement upon them; so all their persecutions from men are considered as permitted by the Lord for their instruction and correction; and these will not drive them from God, but bring them to him to seek him by prayer and supplication.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 (vxl) "mussitationem", Montanus; "submissam orationem", Junius & Tremellius.

Yeshayah 26:16 In-Context

14 They are mesim (dead ones), they shall not live; they are refa’im (dead ones) [see Job 26:5], they shall not rise; therefore Thou hast visited and destroyed them, and made all their zekher (memory) to perish.

15 Thou hast increased the Goy (nation, people), Hashem, Thou hast increased the Goy; Thou hast gained glory; Thou hadst extended all the borders of the Eretz.

16 Hashem, in tzoros have they visited Thee, they davened a lachash (whisper) when Thy musar (chastening) was upon them.

17 Like a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, in travail, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in Thy sight, Hashem.

18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth ruach (wind); we have not wrought yeshu’ot (salvation of any kind) in Eretz; neither have inhabitants of the tevel (world) been born.