9.—Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant.] Kings and princes are the great instruments of Providence with respect to human affairs. Some of them God raises up to be executioners of his judgments upon sinful people; such was he of whom God saith, Hos. xiii. 11. "I gave thee a king in mine anger." Such was Nebuchadrezzar here spoken of, whom God calls his "servant," because he "wrought for him," as God speaks concerning him, Ezek. xxix. 20; that is, he executed God's judgments upon Tyre; God making use of his ambition and desire of conquest, and prospering his arms, in order to the punishment of the neighbouring countries for their sins: see a like instance in the king of Assyria, whom God calls "the rod of his anger." Isa. x. 5. W. Lowth. Almighty God so orders the devices of men by his overruling providence, as to make them subservient to his everlasting counsels: for "all things serve him," Ps. cxx. 91. Happy, thrice happy they, that do Him 12. — I will punish the king of Babylon, &c.] God often punishes the persons whom He makes instruments of his vengeance upon others, for those very things which they did by his appointment; because their intent was purely to carry on their own ambitious and cruel purposes, and not to fulfil God's will, or advance his glory. So that the evil they did was altogether their own, and the good that was produced out of it was to be ascribed to God. See a remarkable passage to this purpose relating to Sennacherib, Isa. x. 5—16. W. Lowth. — and will make it perpetual desolations.] See the notes on chap. 1. 3, &c.