“Ecce in manibus meis descripsi te ; muri tui coram oculis meis semper.”
“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.”
“Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me.”
“Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. your walls are continually before me.”
“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.”
Hands, which were nailed to the cross. Septuagint, “I have delineated thy walls on my hands, and thou art before me always.” (Haydock) — The Assyrians wore such characters on their hands or necks. (Lucian) (Leviticus xix. 28.) (Calmet) — Christ will always love his Church, which is of all times and nations. (Worthington)
(2.) He shall repair the decays of the church and build it upon a rock. He shall establish the earth, or rather the land, the land of Judea, a type of the church. He shall cause the desolate heritages to be inherited; so the cities of Judah were after the return out of captivity, and so the church, which in the last and degenerate ages of the Jewish nation had been as a country laid waste, but was again replenished by the fruits of the preaching of the gospel.
Verses 13-17 Let there be universal joy, for God will have mercy upon the afflicted, because of his compassion; upon his afflicted, because of his covenant. We have no more reason to question his promise and grace, than we have to question his providence and justice. Be assured that God has a tender affection for his church and people; he would not have them to be discouraged. Some mothers do neglect their children; but God's compassions to his people, infinitely exceed those of the tenderest parents toward their children. His setting them as a mark on his hand, or a seal upon his arm, denotes his being ever mindful of them. As far as we have scriptural evidence that we belong to his ransomed flock, we may be sure that he will never forsake us. Let us then give diligence to make our calling and election sure, and rejoice in the hope and glory of God.