Verse 2 describes the master’s care of his vineyard. The fence protects it from animals, thieves, or vandals. The tower will allow a watchman to actively provide protection and also allow the master to oversee his vineyard at a glance and supervise the workers. Clearing away the stones increases the soil’s fertility for the growing vines. The winepress expresses anticipation of an abundant harvest. Victor Ludlow describes the winepress:
Such a wine vat consists of two basins or pits carved out of the rocks. The upper pit, where the grapes are trodden out, is shallow and large enough to accommodate the workers. A trench carries the pressed-out juices to a lower, deeper pit, where the wine accumulates until it is stored in clay jars or skin bags. The construction of this type of press is usually undertaken by wealthy landowners or by those who press grapes for many farmers. Thus the fact that the master of the vineyard builds a vat in the middle of his own field indicates that he expects his harvest alone to justify its construction.
Each of these steps represents not only the good master’s care for his vineyard, but also, symbolically, Yahweh’s care for Israel. Yahweh’s laws are the fence around Israel, separating it from harmful influences. Yahweh prepared a promised land in which Israel could flourish (clearing the stones) and called prophets to defend it (the guard on the tower). He awaits Israel’s fulfillment of the covenant to enter into his rest (bringing forth fruit for the winepress).
Both the allegorical vineyard and Judah fail to produce fruit commensurate with the effort expended on them. Instead, they yield wild fruit, unfit for the desired end. The wild grapes will not make good wine, and wild Israel has not become what it should have been.