Isaiah 11:5

And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins and faithfulness the girdle of His reins

The right girdle

I. We have the Saviour here represented in His RIGHTEOUSNESS. The Saviour was abstractedly, in and of and from Himself, righteous. But the righteousness here means the actual accomplishment of His mission. He saith of Himself. “Ought not Christ to suffer these things?” But He was not only righteous in His work, He was righteous on all sides. “Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins”; go all round Him. That cannot be said of us except by faith. By faith we put on the girdle of righteousness. But personally we are compassed with infirmity. Not so the Saviour. He was tempted or tried, but never showed a weak part anywhere. Not only was He righteous, He was also strong.

II. We have the Saviour here represented in His FAITHFULNESS. By the “reins,” as Cruden well observes, the vital affections of the soul are meant. Did Christ’s vital affections ever give way? No! How faithful He was in love! (James Wells.)

Girdles

Girdles of various kinds, made of valuable materials, were anciently worn by persons of high rank, which distinguished them from those of inferior station, by whom girdles of some sort were likewise worn. The girdles which the priests put on were made of gold, of blue, of purple, scarlet, and fine-twined linen. The military girdle was sometimes of considerable excellence and value, as is plainly intimated in what Joab said to the young man who informed him he had seen Absalom hanging in a tree (2 Samuel 18:11). (R. Macculloch.)

Righteousness and faithfulness

Righteousness and faithfulness, agreeably blended together, compose the girdle of the Messiah. These two amiable qualities cannot be separated, and serve mutually to illustrate each other; faithfulness is necessary to fulfil the promises of God, and righteousness is no less requisite to discern the characters of those to whom they ought to be fulfilled, in what measure, and in what time they should be accomplished. (R. Macculloch.)

Christ's girdle

1. As a girdle surrounds a man’s whole body, and is seen to advantage whithersoever he turn himself, so, in like manner, these two Divine excellences should every way appear most conspicuous in the Messiah’s administration of the affairs of His kingdom.

2. As the girdles which were anciently worn, served to fasten the loose and flowing garments that were then used and to strengthen the loins of those who were girt with them, so these glorious perfections complete the character of the King of Israel and give vigour to the honourable and successful exercise of regal authority.

3. As girdles served in ancient times for ornaments to the illustrious persons who put them on, so righteousness and faithfulness were eminently to adorn the personal conduct and public character of the Prince of Peace, the King of kings, and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:11). (R. Macculloch.)

The trilogy of the prophetic figures of the Messiah

The trilogy of the prophetic figures of the Messiah as about to be born, as born, and as ruling--is now complete. (F. Delitzsch, D. D.)