Isaiah 6:5

“Then said I, woe [is] me, &c.] There’s no woe to a good man, all woes are to the wicked; but a good man may think himself wretched and miserable, partly on account of his own corruptions, the body of sin and death he carries about with him; and partly on account of wicked men, among whom he dwells, (<450724>Romans 7:24 <19C005>Psalm 120:5): for I am undone; a good man cannot be undone, or be lost and perish; he is lost in Adam with the rest; in effectual calling he is made sensible of his lost and undone state; and under the power of unbelief may write bitter things against himself; but be can never perish, or be lost and undone for ever. The Targum is, “for I have sinned;” and his…”

“undone-- (Exo 33:20). The same effect was produced on others by the presence of God (Jdg 6:22; Jdg 13:22; Job 42:5-6; Luk 5:8; Rev 1:17). lips--appropriate to the context which describes the praises of the lips, sung in alternate responses (Exo 15:20-21; Isa 6:3) by the seraphim: also appropriate to the office of speaking as the prophet of God, about to be committed to Isaiah (Isa 6:9). seen--not strictly Jehovah Himself (Joh 1:18; Ti1 6:16), but the symbol of His presence. Lord--Hebrew, "JEHOVAH."”

“Wo is me! - That is, I am filled with overwhelming convictions of my own unworthiness, with alarm that I have seen Yahweh. For I am undone - Margin, ‘Cut off.’ Chaldee, ‘I have sinned.’ Septuagint, ‘I am miserable, I am pierced through.’ Syriac, ‘I am struck dumb.’ The Hebrew word may sometimes have this meaning, but it also means “to be destroyed, to be ruined, to perish;” see Hosea 10:15; Zephaniah 1:2; Hosea 4:6; Isaiah 15:1. This is probably the meaning here, ‘I shall be ruined, or destroyed.’ The reason of this, he immediately states. A man of unclean lips - This expression evidently denotes that he was a “sinner,” and especially that he was unworthy either to join in the praise of a…”

“l am - I am a great sinner, as many other ways, so particularly by my lips. I am an unclean branch of an unclean tree; besides my own uncleanness, I have both by my omissions and commissions involved myself in the guilt of their sins. Have seen - The sight of this glorious and holy God gives me cause to fear that he is come to judgment against me. Isaiah 6:6”

“6:5 It’s all over! I am doomed: The prophet felt unworthy of the vision. He was painfully aware of his personal uncleanness (sinful . . . filthy lips) when compared to the holiness of God. Isaiah knew that he was unworthy to speak the pure word of God, as were his people.”

“said I: Exo 33:20; Jdg 6:22, Jdg 13:22; Job 42:5, Job 42:6; Dan 10:6-8; Hab 3:16; Luk 5:8, Luk 5:9; Rev 1:16, Rev 1:17 undone: Heb. cut off a man: Exo 4:10, Exo 6:12, Exo 6:30; Jer 1:6; Zac 3:1-7; Mat 12:34-37; Jam 3:1, Jam 3:2 I dwell: Isa 29:13; Jer 9:3-8; Eze 2:6-8, Eze 33:31; Jam 3:6-10 mine eyes: Isa 33:17; Rev 1:5-7 Isaiah 6:6”

“The seer, who was at first overwhelmed and intoxicated by the majestic sight, now recovers his self-consciousness."Then said I, Woe to me! for I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I am dwelling among a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of hosts." That a man cannot see God without dying is true in itself, and was an Old Testament conviction throughout ( Exo 33:20, etc.). He must die, because the holiness of God is to the sinner a consuming fire ( Isa 33:14); and the infinite distance between the creature and the Creator is sufficient of itself to produce a prostrating effect, which even the seraphim could not resist without veiling their faces. Isaiah…”