Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; (8) The conclusion: we must go forward courageously and keep always a right course and (as far forth as we may) without any staggering or stumbling. (d) The description of a man that is out of heart and completely discouraged.
As if our apostle had said, "Seeing so glorious fruits spring from sanctified afflictions be not dejected in mind, nor suffer fear to seize upon you, which weakens the hands, and enfeebles the knees, and causes them to smite one against the another; but be resolute for God, make straight paths in the way of Christianity, not stepping once out of it to avoid persecution...
12. Wherefore, lift up, etc. After having taught us that God regards our salvation when he chastises us, he then exhorts us to exert ourselves vigorously; for nothing will more weaken us and more fully discourage us than through the influence of a false notion to have no taste of God’s grace in adversities.