In this book God always considers that He is our salvation as living water (cf. Isa. 12:2-3). The record concerning the accomplished redemption in ch. 53 is followed in this chapter by the invitation to come to the waters and drink. The call here is like that at the end of the Bible, in Rev. 22:17. The waters in these two portions of the Word are the redeeming God, the very God who accomplished redemption for us through His incarnation, human living, crucifixion, and resurrection. These waters are both the eternal covenant and the sure mercies shown to David (v. 3).

Waters (plural) here reveals that God can be enjoyed not just in one aspect but in many aspects through our continual drinking of Him (cf. John 7:38 and note John 7:38^2b).

In chs. 55—56 Christ, as the Servant of Jehovah and the embodiment of the Triune God as the living waters (John 4:10, 14; 7:37-38), is an eternal covenant to Israel (Isa. 42:6; 49:8; 54:10; 61:8b), even the sure mercies shown to David, in relation to Israel’s prosperity. As such, He is the center of the divine provisions to Israel (vv. 1-5). See note Isa. 42:6^1b.

In Acts 13:34 Paul interprets the sure mercies as “the holy things of David, the faithful things,” and in v. 35 there, he indicates that these things are Christ Himself in resurrection (see note Acts 13:34¹ ). Paul’s interpretation is confirmed by v. 4 in this chapter. Christ was incarnated to bring God as grace to us (John 1:14, 16-17), and He was crucified and resurrected to become the sure mercies to us in resurrection. Because our situation was miserable and could not match God’s grace, Christ, the embodiment of God’s grace, became the sure mercies, and through these mercies we are now in the proper position to match God and receive Him as grace (cf. Eph. 2:4 and note Eph. 2:4²). In Christ as the sure mercies, God reaches us in His grace to be our enjoyment. Christ is both the sure mercies and the eternal covenant that guarantees these mercies.

As the sure mercies of God, the resurrected Christ became the base of God’s justification to His believers (Acts 13:34-39; Rom. 4:25). Based on such a justification in Christ’s resurrection, the believers can be sanctified by enjoying Christ, the son of David (Matt. 1:1), as God’s sure mercies, i.e., as the Holy One who did not see corruption (Acts 13:35).

David and all the kings in David’s family needed God’s mercy (Psa. 51:1; 52:8b). God promised that the very Christ, who would come out of David’s descendants to be the King of kings on the earth (Rev. 17:14; 19:16), would be the sure mercies of God toward the royal family of David. Because of Christ as the sure mercies of God, no one could blot out the entire royal family of David (see note Isa. 11:1^1a; cf. Jer. 33:24-26). The last king of the royal family of David will be Jesus Christ, the embodiment of God’s sure mercies.

This is Christ, who is not only the sure mercies shown to David (v. 3) but also the Witness, Leader, and Commander to the peoples, the nations (Rev. 1:5a; Rev. 3:14a; Acts 5:31a; Rev. 19:11-21).

To be glorified means that we are brought into God and that God becomes our expression.

This is to come to the Lord in order to drink of Him (v. 1).

Calling on the Lord is the way to drink of Him (see note Isa. 12:4^1b).

In the eyes of God, the wicked one, the evildoer, is the one who does not come to drink of Him (cf. note Rom. 1:5^3a).

God’s way and God’s thought are that we would come to drink of Him freely (cf. John 4:10; 7:37-39; Rev. 22:17). See note Isa. 55:1¹.

Or, empty.

God has sent forth His word to water His people (v. 10), to sanctify them (John 17:17; Eph. 5:26), to transform them (2 Cor. 3:18), and to conform them to His image (Rom. 8:29) that the Body of Christ may be built up.

What God is doing in His people by sending forth His word (vv. 10-11) will be both a name (memorial) to God and an eternal sign (strong proof) that will never be cut off.