Ezra 9:15

Translation
King James Version
O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.
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KJV (with Strong's)
O LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478, thou art righteous H6662: for we remain H7604 yet escaped H6413, as it is this day H3117: behold, we are before H6440 thee in our trespasses H819: for we cannot stand H5975 before H6440 thee because of this.
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Complete Jewish Bible
ADONAI, God of Isra'el! You are just; yet we have been left a surviving remnant that has escaped, as is the case today. Look, we are before you in our guilt; because of it, no one can stand in your presence."
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Berean Standard Bible
O LORD, God of Israel, You are righteous! For we remain this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it no one can stand before You.”
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American Standard Version
O Jehovah, the God of Israel, thou art righteous; for we are left a remnant that is escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our guiltiness; for none can stand before thee because of this.
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World English Bible Messianic
LORD, the God of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is this day. Behold, we are before you in our guiltiness; for no one can stand before you because of this.”
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Geneva Bible (1599)
O Lord God of Israel, thou art iust, for we haue bene reserued to escape, as appeareth this day: beholde, we are before thee in our trespasse: therfore we canot stand before thee because of it.
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Young's Literal Translation
`O Jehovah, God of Israel, righteous art Thou, for we have been left an escape, as it is this day; lo, we are before Thee in our guilt, for there is none to stand before Thee concerning this.'
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See also
Psalms 130:3John 8:24Romans 3:19John 8:21Romans 10:3Zechariah 3:3Zechariah 3:4
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Ezra’s Mission to Jerusalem
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In the KJVVerse 12,253 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Ezra 9:15 concludes Ezra's impassioned prayer of confession, a lament born from deep anguish over the returned exiles' widespread intermarriage with foreign peoples, a direct and grievous violation of God's covenant commands. This verse serves as the climactic culmination of his agonizing plea, simultaneously affirming the Lord God of Israel's immutable righteousness and acknowledging the nation's profound unworthiness and utter inability to stand before a holy God due to their accumulated trespasses. It is a desperate, humble cry for divine mercy, recognizing that their continued existence and preservation are solely by God's unmerited grace, despite their persistent and flagrant unfaithfulness.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezra 9:15 functions as the powerful and poignant conclusion to Ezra's extended prayer of confession, which commences in Ezra 9:5. The preceding verses meticulously detail Ezra's visceral reaction—tearing his garments, pulling out his hair, and falling prostrate—upon learning of the widespread intermarriage. His prayer then meticulously recounts Israel's long and tragic history of covenant unfaithfulness, juxtaposing it with God's persistent faithfulness in both judgment and merciful preservation. The prayer builds in theological and emotional intensity, transitioning from a broad historical overview of national transgressions to a direct, personal, and agonizing confession of the current generation's profound guilt. Thus, Ezra 9:15 is the final, raw admission of utter helplessness and complete dependence on God's inherent character, setting the crucial theological stage for the people's subsequent corporate repentance and decisive action, as detailed in Ezra 10.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The events of Ezra 9 unfold approximately 80 years after the initial return of Jewish exiles from Babylonian captivity, a return led by Zerubbabel and Jeshua, as chronicled in Ezra 1-6. Ezra, a distinguished priest and a scribe deeply learned in the Law of Moses, arrives in Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes I (c. 458 BC). His divinely appointed mission, explicitly sanctioned by the Persian monarch, was to instruct the people in God's law and re-establish proper worship and covenant fidelity. The pervasive intermarriage with the "peoples of the lands"—a comprehensive list including Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites, as enumerated in Ezra 9:1—represented a grave and deliberate offense. This practice was unequivocally forbidden by the Mosaic Law (e.g., Deuteronomy 7:3-4), not merely for ethnic purity, but primarily to prevent spiritual apostasy, the corruption of Israel's distinct covenant identity, and the insidious infiltration of idolatry and pagan practices. The return from exile was intended as a sacred new beginning, a chance to rebuild a holy nation consecrated to Yahweh, rendering this widespread transgression particularly disheartening and existentially dangerous for the nascent community.
  • Key Themes: Ezra 9:15 powerfully articulates several foundational themes central to the book of Ezra and the broader Old Testament narrative. Firstly, it profoundly underscores God's unwavering righteousness and impeccable justice, even in the face of His people's persistent and egregious sin. Ezra's solemn declaration, "O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous," serves as a profound theological affirmation that any impending judgment is entirely deserved, and God's holy character remains utterly unimpeachable. Secondly, the verse highlights divine mercy and miraculous preservation, vividly encapsulated in the phrase "for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day." Despite their repeated covenant unfaithfulness, God, in His boundless mercy, preserved a remnant through the devastating Babylonian exile and graciously allowed them to return to their homeland, thereby demonstrating His enduring grace and unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises, even when Israel proved faithless (a theme powerfully echoed in Lamentations 3:22-23). Finally, and perhaps most poignantly, it expresses profound human sinfulness and inherent unworthiness. Ezra's raw confession, "behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this," conveys an overwhelming sense of shame, guilt, and an utter inability to justify themselves or endure the holy, scrutinizing presence of God due to their accumulated transgressions, a sentiment that resonates deeply with the psalmist's cry in Psalm 130:3.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Righteous (Hebrew, tsaddîyq', H6662): This term (H6662) describes God's character as perfectly just, upright, and conforming to an absolute moral standard. When applied to God, it speaks of His integrity, fairness, and the equity of all His dealings. Ezra's declaration of God's righteousness is not a casual statement but a profound theological affirmation that even in their dire state, facing potential judgment, God remains true to Himself and His holy nature. It implies that any punishment is deserved, and His character is untarnished by their sin.
  • Escaped (Hebrew, pᵉlêyṭâh', H6413): This noun (H6413) denotes deliverance or, concretely, an escaped portion or remnant. In this context, "we remain yet escaped" highlights God's miraculous preservation of a remnant. Despite the severe judgment of exile, God, in His mercy, allowed a portion of His people to survive and return. This escape is not attributed to their merit or strength, but solely to God's gracious intervention, underscoring their dependence on His unmerited favor for their very existence "as it is this day."
  • Trespasses (Hebrew, ʼashmâh', H819): This feminine noun (H819) signifies guiltiness, a fault, or the presentation of a sin-offering. It implies a deliberate transgression against God, particularly in the context of covenant relationship or sacred things. It is more than a simple mistake; it is a betrayal, a violation of loyalty and duty. The use of ʼashmâh here emphasizes the severity of Israel's sin, particularly their intermarriage, which was a direct affront to God's covenant commands and a defilement of their holy identity.

Verse Breakdown

  • "O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous:" This opening declaration establishes the unwavering theological foundation for Ezra's entire confession. It is a humble and profound acknowledgment of God's inherent, unchanging character as perfectly just, upright, and morally impeccable. This affirmation is crucial because it asserts that whatever consequences Israel faces are entirely deserved, and God's holiness remains utterly untainted by their sin. It is a recognition of divine sovereignty and absolute moral perfection.
  • "for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day:" This phrase serves as a poignant and paradoxical acknowledgment of God's incredible mercy and enduring faithfulness, despite Israel's persistent unfaithfulness. The "escape" refers specifically to their survival through the devastating Babylonian exile and their subsequent miraculous return to their ancestral land. Ezra recognizes that their continued existence as a distinct people in their homeland is not attributable to their own righteousness, strength, or merit, but solely to God's preserving grace and covenant loyalty. This highlights the tension and coexistence of God's justice and His boundless mercy.
  • "behold, we are before thee in our trespasses:" This clause expresses a profound and overwhelming sense of shame, guilt, and defilement. The phrase "before thee" signifies standing directly in the holy, scrutinizing presence of God, a position of ultimate accountability and vulnerability. The powerful declaration "in our trespasses" emphasizes that their very being, their current state, and their identity are defined and saturated by their accumulated sins, particularly the recent, egregious covenant violations. It conveys a deep sense of moral corruption and unworthiness, a recognition that their actions have created an insurmountable barrier between them and a holy God.
  • "for we cannot stand before thee because of this." This is the climactic and most desperate confession of utter helplessness and inherent inability. The phrase "cannot stand" implies a complete inability to justify themselves, to endure God's holy scrutiny, to maintain their position in His presence, or to escape His righteous judgment. Their sin is so pervasive, so grievous, and so deeply ingrained that it renders them utterly indefensible and unworthy. This is a cry of profound desperation, acknowledging that without divine intervention, without a sovereign act of grace, they are utterly doomed and without hope.

Literary Devices

Ezra 9:15 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound theological and emotional message. The opening address, "O LORD God of Israel," is a direct invocation, characteristic of Lament and Confession literature, establishing a personal, desperate, and deeply reverent plea to the covenant God. The immediate declaration "thou art righteous" functions as an Affirmation of Divine Character, a foundational theological truth that frames and underscores the subsequent confession of human failing. The phrase "we remain yet escaped, as it is this day" serves as a powerful Paradox or Irony, highlighting God's undeserved mercy and miraculous preservation in stark contrast to the people's ongoing and egregious sinfulness. This also functions as a subtle Rhetorical Appeal, implicitly reminding God of His own past acts of grace and covenant faithfulness. Finally, the concluding statement, "for we cannot stand before thee because of this," is a profound Confession of Helplessness and implicitly a Rhetorical Question ("who then can stand?"), emphasizing the vast, unbridgeable chasm between human sin and divine holiness. The cumulative effect of these devices is one of deep humility, utter desperation, and total dependence on God's just yet merciful character.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezra 9:15 is a profound theological statement on the immutable nature of God, the fallen condition of humanity, and the pervasive reality of sin. It underscores the unblemished righteousness of God, affirming His perfect justice even as His people face the dire consequences of their actions. Simultaneously, it highlights God's incredible, preserving mercy in sustaining a remnant despite their persistent unfaithfulness, demonstrating that their very existence is a testament to His grace, not their merit. This verse powerfully articulates the overwhelming weight and defiling nature of human sin, portraying it as an insurmountable barrier that renders humanity utterly unable to stand in the holy presence of God. It is a desperate cry for divine intervention, recognizing that self-justification is impossible and that only God's character and His covenant faithfulness can offer any hope. This deep awareness of human sin and inherent inability to stand foreshadows the ultimate, universal need for a mediator and an atoning sacrifice, a foundational theme that permeates the entirety of the biblical narrative.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezra 9:15 offers a timeless and profound model for genuine repentance and heartfelt confession, inviting believers across generations to engage in a rigorous and honest self-examination before the living God. It teaches us that true confession begins not with defensive excuses or self-justifications, but with an unwavering, humble affirmation of God's perfect righteousness and immutable justice, acknowledging that any consequences we face are entirely deserved and that His holy character remains utterly untarnished by our failings. This foundational truth then leads to an honest, unreserved, and detailed confession of our own "trespasses," recognizing the full weight, defiling nature, and covenant-breaking implications of our sin, which renders us utterly unworthy to stand in the presence of a holy God. The verse compels us to confront our inherent inability to save ourselves, to earn God's favor, or to stand on our own merit, thereby fostering a deep and abiding dependence on His mercy alone for our continued existence, spiritual well-being, and ultimate hope. It is a powerful call to radical humility, reminding us that salvation is always and entirely an act of divine grace, not human achievement, and that our hope rests exclusively on God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant, even when we are faithless.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does Ezra's immediate affirmation of God's righteousness, even in the midst of national crisis and profound guilt, challenge our common tendency to question God's goodness or justice when we face difficult consequences for our actions?
  • In what specific ways do you recognize your own "trespasses" not merely as mistakes or missteps, but as a breach of trust, an act of unfaithfulness, or a violation of your covenant relationship with God?
  • What does it truly mean for you, personally, to acknowledge that you "cannot stand before God" in your own strength or righteousness, and how does this profound understanding shape your view of salvation and your daily walk with Him?
  • How does the recognition of God's preserving mercy ("we remain yet escaped") in your own life deepen your gratitude, foster humility, and strengthen your absolute dependence on Him for every aspect of your existence?

FAQ

What was the primary sin that led to Ezra's prayer of confession in Ezra 9?

Answer: The primary sin that provoked Ezra's profound prayer of confession in Ezra 9 was the widespread intermarriage of the returned Jewish exiles with the foreign peoples of the land. This included various pagan nations such as the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites, as explicitly detailed in Ezra 9:1-2. This practice constituted a direct and grievous violation of God's clear commands against such alliances, which were repeatedly given in the Mosaic Law (e.g., Exodus 34:15-16 and Deuteronomy 7:3-4). These prohibitions were designed not merely for ethnic separation, but fundamentally to preserve Israel's spiritual purity, safeguard their distinct covenant identity, and prevent them from succumbing to idolatry and the corrupting pagan practices of the surrounding nations.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezra 9:15, with its desperate and humbling cry of "behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this," powerfully articulates and foreshadows the universal human need for a divine solution to the pervasive problem of sin, a solution found ultimately and perfectly in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The profound inability of the exiles to stand before a righteous and holy God due to their accumulated trespasses highlights the universal human condition: indeed, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). This verse, therefore, implicitly points to the absolute necessity of a perfect mediator and an atoning sacrifice. In Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, who alone "takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), we find the divinely provided means by which we can stand righteous and blameless before a holy God. His perfect righteousness is graciously imputed to us (2 Corinthians 5:21), and through His propitiatory death on the cross, the righteous wrath of God against our sin is fully satisfied (Romans 3:25). Where Ezra and the people of Israel could only confess their unworthiness and utter inability to stand, believers in Christ are now granted direct access and boldness to approach God's throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16), not because of any inherent merit of their own, but solely because of His finished, redemptive work, enabling us to stand holy, blameless, and above reproach in God's sight (Colossians 1:22).

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Commentary on Ezra 9 verses 5–15

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points(1.) (2.) Details

What the meditations of Ezra's heart were, while for some hours he sat down astonished, we may guess by the words of his mouth when at length he spoke with his tongue; and a most pathetic address he here makes to Heaven upon this occasion. Observe,

I. The time when he made this address - at the evening sacrifice, Ezr 9:5. Then (it is likely) devout people used to come into the courts of the temple, to grace the solemnity of the sacrifice and to offer up their own prayers to God in concurrence with it. In their hearing Ezra chose to make this confession, that they might be made duly sensible of the sins of their people, which hitherto they had either not taken notice of or had made light of. Prayer may preach. The sacrifice, and especially the evening sacrifice, was a type of the great propitiation, that blessed Lamb of God which in the evening of the world was to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself, to which we may suppose Ezra had an eye of faith in this penitential address to God; he makes confession with his hand, as it were, upon the head of that great sacrifice, through which we receive the atonement. Certainly Ezra was no stranger to the message which the angel Gabriel had some years ago delivered to Daniel, at the time of the evening sacrifice, and as it were in explication of it, concerning Messiah the Prince (Dan 9:21, Dan 9:24); and perhaps he had regard to that in choosing this time.

II. His preparation for this address. 1. He rose up from his heaviness, and so far shook off the burden of his grief as was necessary to the lifting up of his heart to God. He recovered from his astonishment, got the tumult of his troubled spirits somewhat stilled and his spirit composed for communion with God. 2. He fell upon his knees, put himself into the posture of a penitent humbling himself and a petitioner suing for mercy, in both representing the people for whom he was now an intercessor. 3. He spread out his hands, as one affected with what he was going to say, offering it up unto God, waiting, and reaching out, as it were, with an earnest expectation, to receive a gracious answer. In this he had an eye to God as the Lord, and as his God, a God of power, but a God of grace.

III. The address itself. It is not properly to be called a prayer, for there is not a word of petition in it; but, if we give prayer its full latitude, it is the offering up of pious and devout affections to God, and very devout, very pious, are the affections which Ezra here expresses. His address is a penitent confession of sin, not his own (from a conscience burdened with its own guilt and apprehensive of his own danger), but the sin of his people, from a gracious concern for the honour of God and the welfare of Israel. Here is a lively picture of ingenuous repentance. Observe in this address,

1.The confession he makes of the sin and the aggravations of it, which he insists upon, to affect his own heart and theirs that joined with him with holy sorrow and shame and fear, in the consideration of it, that they might be deeply humbled for it. And it is observable that, though he himself was wholly clear from this guilt, yet he puts himself into the number of the sinners, because he was a member of the same community - our sins and our trespass. Perhaps he now remembered it against himself, as his fault, that he had staid so long after his brethren in Babylon, and had not separated himself so soon as he might have done from the people of those lands. When we are lamenting the wickedness of the wicked, it may be, if we duly reflect upon ourselves and give our own hearts leave to deal faithfully with us, we may find something of the same nature, though in a lower degree, that we also have been guilty of. However, he speaks that which was, or should have been, the general complaint.

(1.)He owns their sins to have been very great: "Our iniquities are increased over our heads (Ezr 9:6); we are ready to perish in them as in keep waters;" so general was the prevalency of them, so violent the power of them, and so threatening were they of the most pernicious consequences. "Iniquity has grown up to such a height among us that it reaches to the heavens, so very impudent that it dares heaven, so very provoking that, like the sin of Sodom, it cries to heaven for vengeance." But let this be the comfort of true penitents that though their sins reach to the heavens God's mercy is in the heavens, Psa 36:5. Where sin abounds grace will much more abound.

(2.)Their sin had been long persisted in (Ezr 9:7): Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass. The example of those that had gone before them he thought so far from excusing their fault that it aggravated it. "We should have taken warning not to stumble at the same stone. The corruption is so much the worse that it has taken deep root and begins to plead prescription, but by this means we have reason to fear that the measure of the iniquity is nearly full."

(3.)The great and sore judgments which God had brought upon them for their sins did very much aggravate them: "For our iniquities we have been delivered to the sword and to captivity (Ezr 9:7), and yet not reformed, yet not reclaimed - brayed in the mortar, and yet the folly not gone (Pro 27:22) - corrected, but not reclaimed."

(4.)The late mercies God had bestowed upon them did likewise very much aggravate their sins. This he insists largely upon, Ezr 9:8, Ezr 9:9. Observe, [1.] The time of mercy: Now for a little space, that is, "It is but a little while since we had our liberty, and it is not likely to continue long." This greatly aggravated their sin, that they were so lately in the furnace and that they knew not how soon they might return to it again; and could they yet be secure? [2.] The fountain of mercy: Grace has been shown us from the Lord. The kings of Persia were the instruments of their enlargement; but he ascribes it to God and to his grace, his free grace, without any merit of theirs. [3.] The streams of mercy, - that they were not forsaken in their bondage, but even in Babylon had the tokens of God's presence, - that they were a remnant of Israelites left, a few out of many, and those narrowly escaped out of the hands of their enemies, by the favour of the kings of Persia, - and especially that they had a nail in his holy place, that is (as it is explained, Ezr 9:9), that they had set up the house of God. They had their religion settled and the service of the temple in a constant method. We are to reckon it a great comfort and advantage to have stated opportunities of worshipping God. Blessed are those that dwell in God's house, like Anna that departed not from the temple. This is my rest for ever, says the gracious soul. [4.] The effects of all this. It enlightened their eyes, and it revived their hearts; that is, it was very comfortable to them, and the more sensibly so because it was in their bondage: it was life from the dead to them. Though but a little reviving, it was a great favour, considering that they deserved none and the day of small things was an earnest of greater. "Now," says Ezra, "how ungrateful are we to offend a God that has been so kind to us! how disingenuous to mingle in sin with those nations from whom we have been, in wonderful mercy, delivered! how unwise to expose ourselves to God's displeasure when we are tried with the returns of his favour and are upon our good behaviour for the continuance of it!"

(5.)It was a great aggravation of the sin that it was against an express command: We have forsaken thy commandments, Ezr 9:10. It seems to have been an ancient law of the house of Jacob not to match with the families of the uncircumcised, Gen 34:14. But, besides that, God had strictly forbidden it. He recites the command, Ezr 9:11, Ezr 9:12. For sin appears sin, appears exceedingly sinful, when we compare it with the law which is broken by it. Nothing could be more express: Give not your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons. The reason given is because, if they mingled with those nations, they would pollute themselves. It was an unclean land, and they were a holy people; but if they kept themselves distinct from them it would be their honour and safety, and the perpetuating of their prosperity. Now to violate a command so express, backed with such reasons, and a fundamental law of their constitution, was very provoking to the God of heaven.

(6.)That in the judgments by which they had already smarted for their sins God had punished them less than their iniquities deserved, so that he looked upon them to be still in debt upon the old account. "What! and yet shall we run up a new score? Has God dealt so gently with us in correcting us, and shall we thus abuse his favour and turn his grace into wantonness?" God, in his grace and mercy, had said concerning Sion's captivity, She hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins (Isa 40:2); but Ezra, in a penitential sense of the great malignity that was in their sin, acknowledged that, though the punishment was very great, it was less than they deserved.

2.The devout affections that were working in him, in making this confession. Speaking of sin,

(1.)He speaks as one much ashamed. With this he begins (Ezr 9:6), O my God! I am ashamed and blush, O my God! (so the words are placed) to lift up my face unto thee. Note, [1.] Sin is a shameful thing; as soon as ever our first parents had eaten forbidden fruit they were ashamed of themselves. [2.] Holy shame is as necessary an ingredient in true and ingenuous repentance as holy sorrow. [3.] The sins of others should be our shame, and we should blush for those who do not blush for themselves. We may well be ashamed that we are any thing akin to those who are so ungrateful to God and unwise for themselves. This is clearing ourselves, Co2 7:11. [4.] Penitent sinners never see so much reason to blush and be ashamed as when they come to lift up their faces before God. A natural sense of our own honour which we have injured will make us ashamed, when we have done a wrong thing, to look men in the face; but a gracious concern for God's honour will make us much more ashamed to look him in the face. The publican, when he went to the temple to pray, hung down his head more than ever, as one ashamed, Luk 18:13. [5.] An eye to God as our God will be of great use to us in the exercise of repentance. Ezra begins, O my God! and again in the same breath, My God. The consideration of our covenant-relation to God as ours will help to humble us, and break our hearts for sin, that we should violate both his precepts to us and our promises to him; it will also encourage us to hope for pardon upon repentance. "He is my God, notwithstanding this;" and every transgression in the covenant does not throw us out of covenant.

(2.)He speaks as one much amazed (Ezr 9:10) "What shall we say after this? For my part I know not what to say: if God do not help us, we are undone." The discoveries of guilt excite amazement: the more we think of sin the worse it looks. The difficulty of the case excites amazement. How shall we recover ourselves? Which way shall we make our peace with God? [1.] True penitents are at a loss what to say. Shall we say, We have not sinned, or, God will not require it? If we do, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Shall we say, Have patience with us and we will pay thee all, with thousands of rams, or our first-born for our transgression? God will not thus be mocked: he knows we are insolvent. Shall we say, There is no hope, and let come on us what will? That is but to make bad worse. [2.] True penitents will consider what to say, and should, as Ezra, beg of God to teach them. What shall we say? Say, "I have sinned; I have done foolishly; God be merciful to me a sinner;" and the like. See Hos 14:2.

(3.)He speaks as one much afraid, Ezr 9:13, Ezr 9:14. "After all the judgments that have come upon us to reclaim us from sin, and all the deliverances that have been wrought for us to engage us to God and duty, if we should again break God's commandments, by joining in affinity with the children of disobedience and learning their ways, what else could we expect but that God should be angry with us till he had consumed us, and there should not be so much as a remnant left, nor any to escape the destruction?" There is not a surer nor sadder presage of ruin to any people than revolting to sin, to the same sins again, after great judgments and great deliverances. Those that will be wrought upon neither by the one nor by the other are fit to be rejected, as reprobate silver, for the founder melteth in vain.

(4.)He speaks as one much assured of the righteousness of God, and resolved to acquiesce in that and to leave the matter with him whose judgment is according to truth (Ezr 9:15): "Thou art righteous, wise, just, and good; thou wilt neither do us wrong nor be hard upon us; and therefore behold we are before thee, we lie at thy feet, waiting our doom; we cannot stand before thee, insisting upon any righteousness of our own, having no plea to support us or bring us off, and therefore we fall down before thee, in our trespass, and cast ourselves on thy mercy. Do unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee, Jdg 10:15. We have nothing to say, nothing to do, but to make supplication to our Judge," Job 9:15. Thus does this good man lay his grief before God and then leave it with him.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 5–15. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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