Isaiah 37:35Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

I will protect this city to deliver it for My own glory and for the sake of My servant David. Notice how He influences the heart of the king to prevent him from committing wrongdoing. Yet, he still sinned.

He cautions against the elevation of those redeemed by the grace of God, ensuring that the residents of the holy city do not adopt an inflated view of themselves. It is quite common for them to believe and articulate that they are esteemed by God due to their virtuous lives and the spiritual beauty of their intrinsic righteousness. Thus, He saves as God does, yet remains concerned about the humility of the redeemed, preventing them from being swept away by the tides of arrogance. Therefore, He states, “I will defend the city,” referring to the sacred place; however, He offers this protection not for the benefit of those who inhabit it at that time, nor for any previous inhabitants, but for His own glory and for the sake of David, whom He identifies as His servant.

He revisits the topic at hand, addressing the present anxieties after discussing the hope of what lies ahead. The joy of the anticipated future is not as overwhelming as the concern for the immediate threats. He states that the Assyrian will depart and will not raise a shield against Jerusalem nor shoot arrows, that the city will not be encircled by fortifications, and that the adversary will retreat just as he advanced. The city will be liberated from its current siege. He concludes with the phrase, "For My sake, and for the sake of David My servant," indicating that their deliverance is not based on their own merits but rather on God’s compassion, and more so, on the remembrance of their forefather David.

Concerning the statements: I am the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob (Exodus 3:6), and: I will protect this city for the sake of David, to deliver it (Isaiah 37:35). Virtue, dear one, is a divine treasure, honored by God, blessed, eternal, and invincible against forgetfulness. It shines brightly among humankind and remains forever cherished by the Lord, who proclaims at times, I am the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob; and at other times, I will protect this city, that I may deliver it for the sake of David my servant. Such demonstrates God's profound care for those cherished, and such reflects God's honor, that those whom virtue was sought after attain its rewards upon their passing. If the Lord bestows such glory upon them in this life, what magnificent gifts will He grant them in the life to come?

For the sake of Mene, the Assyrians, while insisting on submission from Hezekiah, derided the name of the Lord, asserting that He could not save Jerusalem from their might, just like the deities of other nations were powerless against Sennacherib. Such scorn could not be overlooked. The sanctity of God's name required retribution, as well as the safeguarding of those who placed their trust in the Lord. For the sake of David, His servant. David had gained favor with the Lord through his faithful deeds, particularly his dedication to constructing a temple for Him, prompting the Lord to protect the city established by David and its sanctuary dedicated to the true God.