Isaiah 41:17-18 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue fails for thirst, I the LORD will hear them… This double promise to the poor and needy stands in connection with other great promises which guarantee the gift of wonderful strength and blessing to God's people. These promises seem to be such as the mightiest servant of God might well desire to have fulfilled in himself. Look, for instance, at the one in verses 15, 16. I think that the promise of our text specially comes in, not for you mountain-threshers, — not for you who are made so strong in the Lord, but for some who cannot as yet get a grip of that grand word of His. "When the poor and needy are not trying to thresh mountains, but are looking for that which is needful for the supply of their own personal wants, — seeking water; when they are in too low a condition to be able to rise to the dignity of service, but are just like poor Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness, seeking water; when they have fallen into such a sad and sorrowful state of heart that, instead of testifying to the goodness of God they cannot testify to anything, for "their tongue faileth for thirst"; — it is then, in their extremity, that the blessed promises shall come to them: "I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them." ( C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. |
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