Isaiah 64:4

“For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, &c.] Not only the things unexpected, undesired, and undeserved, had been done for the Lord’s people of old; but there were other things, unheard of and unseen, which God, in his secret counsels, had prepared for them; and for which reason his appearance in his providential dispensations was the more to be desired and entreated. The Apostle Paul has cited this passage in (<460209>1 Corinthians 2:9) and applied it to Gospel times, and to evangelical truths, which are not discoverable by the light of nature; had there not been a revelation from God, the ears of men had never heard them, nor the eyes of men ever…”

“perceived by the ear--Paul (Co1 2:9) has for this, "nor have entered into the heart of man"; the virtual sense, sanctioned by his inspired authority; men might hear with the outward ear, but they could only by the Spirit "perceive" with the "heart" the spiritual significancy of God's acts, both those in relation to Israel, primarily referred to here, and those relating to the Gospel secondarily, which Paul refers to. O God . . . what he . . . prepared--rather, "nor hath eye seen a god beside thee who doeth such things." They refer to God's past marvellous acts in behalf of Israel as a plea for His now interposing for His people; but the Spirit, as Paul by inspiration shows, contemplated…”

“For since the beginning of the world - This verse is quoted, though not literally, by the apostle Paul, as illustrating the effects of the gospel in producing happiness and salvation (see the notes at 1 Corinthians 2:9). The meaning here is, that nowhere else among people had there been such blessings imparted, and such happiness enjoyed; or so many proofs of love and protection, as among those who were the people of God, and who feared him. Men have not heard - In no nation in all past time have deeds been heard of such as thou hast performed. Nor perceived by the ear - Paul 1 Corinthians 2:9 renders this ‘neither have entered into the heart of man,’ ‘which,’ says Lowth, ‘is a phrase purely…”

“Besides thee - This is to be applied to all the wonderful works, that God at all times wrought for his people: and thus they are a plea with God, that they might well expect such things from him now, that had done such wonderful things for their fathers. Waiteth - This may be taken with reference both to the state of grace and glory, those incomprehensible things that are exhibited through Christ in the mysteries of the gospel. Isaiah 64:5”

“have not: Psa 31:19; Co1 2:9, Co1 2:10; Eph 3:5-10, Eph 3:17-21; Col 1:26, Col 1:27; Ti1 3:16; Jo1 3:1, Jo1 3:2, Jo1 4:10; Rev 21:1-4, Rev 21:22-24, Rev 22:1-5 seen: etc. or, seen a God besides thee, which doeth so for, etc. prepared. Psa 31:19; Mat 25:34; Joh 14:3; Heb 11:16 waiteth: Isa 25:9; Gen 49:18; Psa 62:1, Psa 130:5; Lam 3:25, Lam 3:26; Luk 2:25; Rom 8:19, Rom 8:23-25; Co1 1:7; Th1 1:10; Jam 5:7 Isaiah 64:5”

“(5) After the long period governed by לוּא has thus been followed by the retrospect in Isa 64:3 (4.), it is absolutely impossible that Isa 64:4 (5a) should be intended as an optative, in the sense of "O that thou wouldst receive him that," etc., as Stier and others propose. The retrospect is still continued thus: "Thou didst meet him that rejoiceth to work righteousness, when they remembered Thee in Thy ways." צדק ועשׂה שׂשׂ is one in whom joy and right action are paired, and is therefore equivalent to לעשׂות שׂשׂ. At the same time, it may possibly be more correct to take צדק as the object of both verses, as Hofmann does in the sense of "those who let what is right be their joy, and their…”