Isaiah 24:16

From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.

From the uttermost part (Hebrew, wing) of the earth have we heard songs - songs to God come in together to Palestine from distant lands, as a grand chorus. When God begins to execute His judgments on the apostate world-city, the faithful remnant who survive amidst the persecutions of Antichrist glorify the God of Israel in anticipation of His approaching interposition for them. Compare , "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh."

(Even) glory to the righteous. This is the burden of the songs (cf. ; ). Amidst exile, the loss of their temple, and all that is dear to man, their confidence in God is unshaken. These songs recall the joy of other times, and draw from Jerusalem, in her present calamities, the cry - "my leanness, my leanness" - My reduced condition temporally and spiritually! Horsley translates, 'Glory to the Just One:' then My leanness expresses the Israelite's sense of man's corruption, which led the Jews, "the treacherous dealers" (), to crucify the Just One; and his deficiency of righteousness, which made him need to be clothed with the righteousness of the Just One. On "leanness," cf. .

Treacherous dealers - the foreign nations that oppress Jerusalem and overcame it by stratagem (so in ; ). But there is an ulterior reference to the last Antichrist's 'corrupting by flatteries' the people of the covenant (; ). Those who have dealt treacherously as to their covenant with God shall be in just retribution given up to the godless foe, who shall deal treacherously with them.