52:1 beautiful garments. See note on Isaiah 61:10.

52:1 no more come into thee. In the ultimate holy city, nothing unclean will ever be allowed to enter (Revelation 21:27).

52:7 good tidings. See Romans 10:15, where this wonderful promise is quoted as fulfilled in the saving gospel of Christ. In the New Testament, “gospel” and “glad tidings” are the same.

52:12 go before you. When we are in His will, God not only goes before us but “will be [our] right hand” (Acts 2:25), and “underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27). Indeed He “encampeth round about them that fear Him” (Psalm 34:7). In a special sense, we live in Him, just as “Christ liveth in me” (Galatians 2:20).

52:13 Behold, my servant. The last three verses of Isaiah 52 should really be the introduction to Isaiah 53, the whole constituting not only an amazing prophecy but also the fullest and clearest exposition of the substitutionary death of Christ in all the Bible.

52:13 be very high. The introduction to Messiah’s sufferings first foretells the final triumph. His “prudent” dealings will ultimately result in His being given the name above every name (see Philippians 2:5-9). “Exalted,” then “extolled,” then “be very high” seem to refer, respectively, to Christ’s resurrection, ascension, and session at the right hand of the Father.

52:14 astonied. “Astonied” means “made like a stone” or “petrified.” As the Old English form of “astonished,” it graphically portrays the “stunned” reaction of those who observe the perfect Son of Man so disfigured that He no longer even looked like a man. He was, literally, corruption itself (the meaning of “marred”), bearing the great curse of the sins of all men.

52:15 sprinkle. As many were stunned at the sight, so shall His blood “sprinkle” (same word as in Leviticus 16:19; etc.) many nations, as He died for the sin of the world (see Isaiah 49:7; Psalm 72:11).