Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 61:3

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion , to give unto them beauty for ashes , the oyl of joy for mourning , the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness , the planting of the LORD , that he might be glorified .

Supple it. Viz. Comfort, or Joy, or else it may refer to those Accusative cases following, Beauty, Oyl, Garments.

Put by a Metonymy for the Jews. q. d. among the Jews; and they for the Church of God, or, according to the Hebrew For Zion.

By ashes understand whatever is most proper for days of mourning, as Sackcloth sprinkled with Ashes, and these ashes which were sprinkled on their heads, mixing themselves with their tears, would render them of a woful Aspect, which was wont to be the habit of Mourners, as by Beauty whatever may be beautiful, or become times of rejoycing.

The sense is the same with the former, he calls it Oyl of joy in allusion to those anointings they were wont to use in times of joy, Psal. 104. 15. and also the same with what follows, viz. Gladness for heaviness, gladness brings forth Praise to God; and it is called a Garment in allusion to their Festival Ornaments, for they had Garments appropriated to their conditions, some suitable to times of rejoycing, and some to times of mourning, or else an allusion to comely garments; and the spirit of heaviness, because heaviness doth oppress, and debase the Spirits. It is all but an elegant description of the same thing by a three-fold Antithesis.

That is, that they may be so, as it is usually expressed. Ch 58. 12. & 60. 18. they shall be acknowledged so, v. 9.

He ascribes Righteousness to Trees, understanding thereby Persons by a Metaphor, by which he means, that they shall be firm, solid, and well rooted, being by faith engrafted into Christ, and bringing sorth fruit suitable to the Soil wherein they are planted, that had been as dry trees, see on Isa. 56. 3. viz. the Church, the Vineyard of God, and the hand by which they were planted, as in the next words.

Planted by the holy Lord, who being himself holy, and righteous, would plant none but such, which notes also their soundness, and stability, an allusion to that passage in Moses his Song, Exod. 15. 17.

Either in that glory which he should conser upon them, or that glory he may expect and receive from them, that so it may be evident whose handy work it was. See ch. 60. 21.