2 Nephi 22

Episode 360: 2 Nephi 22:1–6

1 And in that day thou shalt say: O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.

2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation.

3 Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

4 And in that day shall ye say: Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

5 Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things; this is known in all the earth.

6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

Comments

This chapter was included as part of the single chapter covering our current chapters 16 to 22, or including chapters 6 through 12 of Isaiah. These verses conclude the prophecy against Assyria, and continue the reversal that Jehovah will visit upon the world. In the previous chapter, the millennial reign was described, where the Messiah would come to rule and peace would reign.

These verses are a song of praise for Jehovah and that promised salvation. It begins with the clear declaration that “O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away.” That is the message of the Assyrian invasion. It would be terrible, but it would end. This becomes the reversal of the oft-repeated phrase that the Lord was angry still and his hand outstretched still. In this future Messianic rule, there is no more anger.

Jehovah will become Israel’s strength and song. The returned righteous remnant will return not only physically, but also spiritually return, or repent. They will see Jehovah as their salvation.

In the previous chapter Isaiah has declared that all of the earth would be God’s temple, and this song of praise reiterates that when it declares “great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.”