Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
Israel gratefully acknowledges in reply God's past grace; but at the same time tacitly implies by the expression "of old," that God does not appear to her now. "God appeared to me of old, but now I am forsaken!" God replies, Nay, I love thee with the same love now as of old. My love was not a momentary impulse, but from "everlasting" in My counsels, and to "everlasting" in its continuance; hence originated the covenant whereby I gratuitously adopted thee (Malachi 1:2; Romans 11:28-29). Margin translates, "from afar," which does not answer so well as "of old," to "in the wilderness" (Jeremiah 31:2), which refers to the olden times of Israel's history.
with loving kindness . . . drawn-- (Hosea 11:4). Rather, "I have drawn out continually My loving kindness toward thee." So Psalms 36:10, "Continue (Margin, 'Draw out at length') Thy loving kindness." By virtue of My everlasting love I will still extend My loving kindness to thee. So Isaiah 44:21, "O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of Me."
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Song of Solomon 1:4
Isaiah 43:4
Isaiah 44:7
Jeremiah 31:2
Jeremiah 31:20
Ezekiel 16:8
John 6:44
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