Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him, The prophet addressed him personally and directly: Great is your faithfulness. In the time of his trial the Lord had become terrible to him. I will stay myself upon him, and encourage myself in him, when all other supports and encouragements fail me." Johannine Writings a. Jeremiah had no other place of satisfaction, so he was settled with the portion received, and that portion was the LORD Himself. Luke-Acts ( Lamentations 3:21-23 KJV) Verse 23 tells us, "They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness," like we sing in the old hymn. This St. Paul refers to in his account of the sufferings of the apostles. Our own wickedness corrects us, Prov 19 3. That God sees them. And we must thus humble ourselves, if so be there may be hope, or (as it is in the original) peradventure there is hope. He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. Lamentations 3 Commentary - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the The living man should be grateful he still has life, and recognize there is some justice in the punishment of his sins. Duty prescribed in this afflicted state, ver 37-41. (3.) 26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:32 (HCSB) Verse Thoughts Jeremiah is often called 'the weeping prophet' for he was to prophecy to deaf ears and witness to blinded, callused hearts. Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. There are times when the only thing a sufferer can do is wait for God. Due thoughts of the evil of sin, and of our own sinfulness, will convince us that it is of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed. He had heard their prayers; though they had been ready to fear that the cloud of wrath was such as their prayers could not pass through (v. 44), yet upon second thoughts, or at least upon further trial, they find it otherwise, and that God had not said unto them, Seek you me in vain. The sufferings of the people of Judah are described as though one man had experienced them. They complain of the contempt of their neighbours and the reproach and ignominy they were under (v. 45): "Thou hast made us as the off-scouring, or scrapings, of the first floor, which are thrown to the dunghill." Those who in their haste have chidden with God must, in the reflection, chide themselves for it. Lamentations 3 - Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible - Bible That they were satisfied that God's gracious regard to them in their miseries would be an effectual redress of all their grievances. We are living men. Time and time again throughout the day. It is he that causes grief, and therefore we may be assured it is ordered wisely and graciously; and it is but for a season, and when need is, that we are in heaviness, 1 Pet 1 6. 3 I am the one who has seen the afflictions. VII. The Bibles Tab is found in the Tools feature on Bible pages: Note: MLA no longer requires the URL as part of their citation standard. They have created us a great deal of vexation; now, Lord, give them sorrow of heart (v. 65), perplexity of heart" (so some read it); "let them be surrounded with threatening mischiefs on all sides, and not be able to see their way out. i. 4. But waiting is good because God is worth waiting for. (Ryken). The malice they had against him: "Thou hast seen all their vengeance, how they desire to do me a mischief, as if it were by way of reprisal for some great injury I had done them." We are sinful men, and that which we complain of is the just punishment of our sins; nay, it is far less than our iniquities have deserved. He has led me and made me walk This I recall to my mind, &c. Here the prophet begins to suggest motives of patience and consolation: as if he had said, I call to mind the following considerations, and thereupon I conceive hope and comfort. i. In addition, emotional attributes of joy (Proverbs 23:16) and sorrow (Job 19:27; Psalm 73:21) were credited to them. (Harrison). And their whispering against me all the day. (2.) Note, All the events of divine Providence are the products of a divine counsel; whatever is done God has the directing of it, and the works of his hands agree with the words of his mouth; he speaks, and it is done, so easily, so effectually are all his purposes fulfilled. That God will graciously return to his people with seasonable comforts according to the time that he has afflicted them, v. 31, 32. If men injure them by force of arms, God does not approve of that. i. 2. Give them sorrow of heart They shall have a callous heart, covered with obstinacy, and thy execration. Luke-Acts 7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy. The sovereign God alone can revive it. c. Why should a living man complain: We may complain against God and His sovereignty, but that is profitless and ungrateful. It is good because it saves from a thousand snares. Blayney translates, "Thou wilt give with a hearty concordance thy curse unto them." I have forgotten prosperity. Historical Books He does not himself crush under his feet the prisoners of the earth, but he regards the cry of the prisoners; nor does he approve of men's doing it; nay, he is much displeased with it. Note, The prolonging of troubles is sometimes a temptation, even to praying people, to question whether God be what they have always believed him to be, a prayer-hearing God. Thou hast removed my soul Prosperity is at such an utter distance from me, that it is impossible I should ever reach it; and as to happiness, I have forgotten whether I have ever tasted of it. He does not afflict with pleasure. 2. You can copy the order of your preferred Bible translations from the Bibles Tab to the Version Picker (this popup) or vice versa. b. Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul: From formerly feeling forsaken, Jeremiah rested in the confidence that God was his advocate. From my sighing, from my cry for help.. These are all declaratory, not imprecatory. The issue or effect; the subject, adjunct, or accident, or produce of a thing, is frequently denominated its son or child. Jeremiahs personal lament is a reminder that suffering is always personal. Thus restless was the enmity of their persecutors, and yet causeless. Note, Though we are cast into ever so low a dungeon, we may thence find a way of access to God in the highest heavens. 54 Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off. Verse 30. Lamentations 3 - Wikipedia To turn aside the right of a man To make a man lose his right, because one of the higher orders opposes him. To pierce my loins: Literally, kidneys. The Gospels Verse 34. Repay them, O LORD, according to the work of their hands: God had repaid Jerusalem and Judah for all their sin and disobedience. Portions on earth are perishing things, but God is a portion for ever. Lamentations is the only biblical book which, for the most part, is arranged in acrostic fashion. Judah has gone into exile, but she does not find any rest there among the nations. Wisdom Literature Historical Books He has covered me with ashes, as mourners used to be, or (as some read it) he has fed me with ashes. b. And here are two things with which he comforts himself:, I. Those curses came upon Jerusalem in Jeremiahs day; now he prayed that those curses come upon their enemies. (Lamentations 3:57-63) Thankful and confident of future help. An Arabic poet. It will tell her so much. My seeing eye affects my heart. Note, Whatever hard things we suffer, we must never entertain any hard thoughts of God, but must still be ready to own that he is both kind and faithful. VI. He sitteth alone He has learned that necessary lesson of independence, that shows him how he is to serve himself; to give no trouble to others; and keep his troubles, as far as possible, in his own bosom. You drew near: Jeremiah seems to record this fact with a considerable amount of surprise. Of this, death would deprive him; therefore let not a living man complain. (Clarke), ii. 11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate. God can interpret all. (Meyer). Even when I cry and shout, "When I have lost all I have in the world, liberty, and livelihood, and almost life itself, yet I have not lost my interest in God." He is not quarrelsome, nor apt to resent injuries; he suffers long and is kind. 7 He has walled me in so I cannot escape; Prayer is the breath of the new man, drawing in the air of mercy in petitions, and returning it in praises; it proves and maintains the spiritual life. Bible Introductions - Lamentations by John MacArthur Verse 28. To make them easy in it, he tells them that it was good for them to bear the yoke of that captivity, and they would find it so if they would but accommodate themselves to their condition, and labour to answer God's ends in laying that heavy yoke upon them. Lamentations 3:44 Commentaries: You have covered Yourself with a cloud i. 46 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us. We are apt, in times of public calamity, to reflect upon other people's ways, and lay blame upon them; whereas our business is to search and try our own ways. II. All the prisoners of the earth By the prisoners of the earth, or land, Dr. Blayney understands those insolvent debtors who were put in prison, and there obliged to work out the debt. We are men, and not children that cry for every thing that hurts them. Let them be dealt with," (1.) Have perished from the LORD.. It hindered their prayers from coming up unto God (v. 44): "Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud," not like that bright cloud in which he took possession of the temple, which enabled the worshippers to draw near to him, but like that in which he came down upon Mount Sinai, which obliged the people to stand at a distance. 5. (Lamentations 3:30-36) The goodness of God even in His justice. Verse 39. They confess the righteousness of God in afflicting them (v. 42): We have transgressed and have rebelled. a. b. I called on your name, O LORD: Even from the pit Jeremiah knew he could call upon the LORD, and that God would hear His voice. Such burdens can best be borne in youth when a man has the requisite vigour, and when his personality needs to be disciplined more than would be the case in his more mature years. (Harrison). God's ear is wont to be open to the prayers of his people, and his door of mercy to those that knock at it; but now both are shut, even to one that cries and shouts. We are sinful men, and what we complain of, is far less than our sins deserve. 6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old. i. Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that woe and well-being proceed? Our Lord Jesus has left us an example of this, for he gave his back to the smiter, Isa 50 6. Surely He has turned His hand against me: Jeremiah did not stay in this dark and desperate place, but he would not deny being there. i. Bad as things are, it is owing to the mercy of God that they are not worse. (Read Lamentations 3:21-36) Having stated his distress and temptation, the prophet shows how he was raised above it. He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone He has put insuperable obstacles in my way; and confounded all my projects of deliverance and all my expectations of prosperity. That grief returned upon every remembrance of his troubles, and his reflections were as melancholy as his prospects, v. 19, 20. Note, It becomes us to have humble hearts under humbling providences, and to renew our penitent humiliations for sin upon every remembrance of our afflictions and miseries. Verse 7. 30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach. Their enemies persecuted and slew them, but that was not the worst of it; they were but the instruments in God's hand: "Thou hast persecuted us, and thou hast slain us, though we expected thou wouldst protect and deliver us." Verse 15. He has aged my flesh and my skin, Quietness is necessary to waiting, for all turbulency and impatience of spirit under sad providences is opposed to waiting. (Poole). The Old Testament 3. i. 43 Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. Against all the despair, Jeremiah proclaimed to himself and all others the goodness of hope and patient seeking of God.

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