Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 63:17

17 O LORD, Why hast thou made us to err from thy ways , and hardned our heart from thy fear ? Return for thy servants sake , the tribes of thine inheritance .

Commandments: it is the Language of the godly among them being troubled, and therefore complaining, that so gracious a Father should leave them to such exigences: made us to sin by withdrawing thy Spirit, and leaving us to our selves, Psa. 81. 12. it is not to be understood, as if God did force them to it, but either lett[illegible: 1+ letters]ng loose their hearts, or by giving occasion to their hearts, being naturally too apt to Apostatize by their severe Afflictions, see this more cleared in the Latine Synopsis, or, make us desperate, by leaving us so long under the Oppression of the Adversary, thereby casting off thy Worship.

Or fear of thee, viz. as the object, Psa.. 5. 7. or that we may not fear thee, as seeing, that they may not see, Psa. 69. 23. or thy service, chap. 29. 13▪ so as to go after other gods.

Either our godly Fore fathers, or, particularly to Abraham Isaac, &c. viz. For the sake of thy promises made to them: or rather, our sakes, that little remnant that are thy Servants, be reconciled to us, Psa. 90. 13▪ for the next words seem to be put by apposition to the former.

Either. 1. The people themselves, which were divided into tribes or rather. 2. The land of Canaan, which God gave them as an inheritance as appears by the next vers. q. d. What will thine enemies say if thou suffer us to perish, or thine Inheritance to be destroyed; or rods, meaning their rulers, see chap. 43. 28. or heads of their tribes.