1.
I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
1-3. seen affliction—his own
in the dungeon of Malchiah (); that of his countrymen also in the siege. Both were types
of that of Christ.
2.
He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
2. darkness—calamity.
light—prosperity.
3.
Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
3. turneth . . . hand—to
inflict again and again new strokes. "His hand," which once
used to protect me. "Turned . . . turneth" implies repeated
inflictions.
Beth.
4.
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
4-6. ().
5.
He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
5. builded—mounds, as against
a besieged city, so as to allow none to escape (so Lamentations 3:7;
Lamentations 3:9).
6.
He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
6. set me—HENDERSON
refers this to the custom of placing the dead in a sitting posture.
dark places—sepulchers.
As those "dead long since"; so Jeremiah and his people are
consigned to oblivion (Psalms 88:5;
Psalms 88:6; Psalms 143:3;
Ezekiel 37:13).
Gimel.
7.
He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
8.
Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
8. shutteth out—image from a
door shutting out any entrance (). So the antitype. Christ ().
9.
He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
9. hewn stone—which coheres so
closely as not to admit of being broken through.
paths crooked—thwarted
our plans and efforts so that none went right.
Daleth.
10.
He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
10-13. (Job 10:16;
Hosea 13:7; Hosea 13:8).
11.
He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
11. turned aside—made me
wander out of the right way, so as to become a prey to wild beasts.
pulled in pieces— (), as a "bear" or a "lion" ().
12.
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
12. ().
He.
13.
He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
13-15. arrows—literally,
"sons" of His quiver (compare ).
14.
I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
14. ().
their song— (). Jeremiah herein was a type of Messiah. "All my
people" (John 1:11).
15.
He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
15. wormwood— (). There it is regarded as food, namely, the leaves:
here as drink, namely, the juice.
Vau.
16.
He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
16-18. gravel—referring to the
grit that often mixes with bread baked in ashes, as is the
custom of baking in the East (). We fare as hardly as those who eat such bread. The same
allusion is in "Covered me with ashes," namely, as bread.
17.
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
17. Not only present, but all
hope of future prosperity is removed; so much so, that I am as one
who never was prosperous ("I forgat prosperity").
18.
And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
18. from the Lord—that is, my
hope derived from Him (Psalms 31:22).
Zain.
19.
Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
19-21. This gives the reason why
he gave way to the temptation to despair. The Margin,
"Remember" does not suit the sense so well.
wormwood . . . gall—
(Jeremiah 9:15).
20.
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
20. As often as my soul calls
them to remembrance, it is humbled or bowed down in me.
21.
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
21. This—namely, what follows;
the view of the divine character (Lamentations 3:22;
Lamentations 3:23). CALVIN
makes "this" refer to Jeremiah's infirmity. His very
weakness (Lamentations 3:19; Lamentations 3:20)
gives him hope of God interposing His strength for him (compare
Psalms 25:11; Psalms 25:17;
Psalms 42:5; Psalms 42:8;
2 Corinthians 12:9; 2 Corinthians 12:10).
Cheth.
22.
It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
22-24. ().
23.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
23. ().
24.
The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
24. (Numbers 18:20;
Psalms 16:5; Psalms 73:26;
Psalms 119:57; Jeremiah 10:16).
To have God for our portion is the one only foundation of hope.
Teth.
25.
The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
25-27. The repetition of "good"
at the beginning of each of the three verses heightens the effect.
wait— ().
26.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
26. quietly wait—literally,
"be in silence." Compare Lamentations 3:28;
Psalms 39:2; Psalms 39:9,
that is, to be patiently quiet under afflictions, resting in the will
of God (Psalms 37:7). So Aaron
(Leviticus 10:2; Leviticus 10:3);
and Job (Job 40:4; Job 40:5).
27.
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
27. yoke—of the Lord's
disciplinary teaching (Psalms 90:12;
Psalms 119:71). CALVIN
interprets it, The Lord's doctrine (Matthew 11:29;
Matthew 11:30), which is to be
received in a docile spirit. The earlier the better; for the old are
full of prejudices (Proverbs 8:17;
Ecclesiastes 12:1). Jeremiah himself
received the yoke, both of doctrine and chastisement in his youth
(Jeremiah 1:6; Jeremiah 1:7).
Jod.
28.
He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
28-30. The fruit of true
docility and patience. He does not fight against the yoke (Jeremiah 31:18;
Acts 9:5), but accommodates
himself to it.
alone—The heathen
applauded magnanimity, but they looked to display and the praise of
men. The child of God, in the absence of any witness, "alone,"
silently submits to the will of God.
borne it upon him—that
is, because he is used to bearing it on him. Rather, "because He
(the Lord, Lamentations 3:26) hath
laid it on him" [VATABLUS].
29.
He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
29. (). The mouth in the dust is the attitude of suppliant and
humble submission to God's dealings as righteous and loving in design
(compare Ezra 9:6; 1 Corinthians 14:25).
if so be there may be
hope—This does not express doubt as to whether GOD
be willing to receive the penitent, but the penitent's doubt
as to himself; he whispers to himself this consolation, "Perhaps
there may be hope for me."
30.
He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
30. Messiah, the Antitype,
fulfilled this; His practice agreeing with His precept (Isaiah 50:6;
Matthew 5:39). Many take patiently
afflictions from God, but when man wrongs them, they take it
impatiently. The godly bear resignedly the latter, like the former,
as sent by God (Psalms 17:13).
Caph.
31.
For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
31-33. True repentance is never
without hope (Psalms 94:14).
32.
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
32. The punishments of the godly
are but for a time.
33.
For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
33. He does not afflict any
willingly (literally, "from His heart," that is, as if He
had any pleasure in it, ), much less the godly ().
Lamed.
34.
To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
34-36. This triplet has an
infinitive in the beginning of each verse, the governing finite verb
being in the end of Lamentations 3:36,
"the Lord approveth not," which is to be repeated in each
verse. Jeremiah here anticipates and answers the objections which the
Jews might start, that it was by His connivance they were "crushed
under the feet" of those who "turned aside the right of a
man." God approves (literally, "seeth," Lamentations 3:36; so "behold," "look on," that is, look
on with approval) not of such unrighteous acts; and so the
Jews may look for deliverance and the punishment of their foes.
35.
To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
35. before . . . face of . . . most
High—Any "turning aside" of justice in court is done
before the face of God, who is present, and "regardeth,"
though unseen (Ecclesiastes 5:8).
36.
To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
36. subvert—to wrong.
Mem.
37.
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
37-39. Who is it that can (as
God, Psalms 33:9) effect by a word
anything, without the will of God?
38.
Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
38. evil . . . good—Calamity
and prosperity alike proceed from God (Job 2:10;
Isaiah 45:7; Amos 3:6).
39.
Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
39. living—and so having a
time yet given him by God for repentance. If sin were punished as it
deserves, life itself would be forfeited by the sinner.
"Complaining" (murmuring) ill becomes him who enjoys such a
favor as life (Proverbs 19:3).
for the punishment of his
sins—Instead of blaming God for his sufferings, he ought to
recognize in them God's righteousness and the just rewards of his own
sin.
Nun.
40.
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
40-42. us—Jeremiah and his
fellow countrymen in their calamity.
search—as opposed to
the torpor wherewith men rest only on their outward sufferings,
without attending to the cause of them (Psalms 139:23;
Psalms 139:24).
41.
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
41. heart with . . . hands—the
antidote to hypocrisy (Psalms 86:4;
1 Timothy 2:8).
42.
We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
42. not pardoned—The
Babylonian captivity had not yet ended.
Samech.
43.
Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
43-45. covered—namely, thyself
(so Lamentations 3:44), so as not to see
and pity our calamities, for even the most cruel in seeing a sad
spectacle are moved to pity. Compare as to God "hiding His
face," Psalms 10:11; Psalms 22:25.
44.
Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
44. (). The "cloud" is our sins, and God's wrath because
of them (Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 59:2).
45.
Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
45. So the apostles were
treated; but, instead of murmuring, they rejoiced at it ().
Pe.
46.
All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
46-48. Pe is put before
Ain (Lamentations 3:43; Lamentations 3:46),
as in Lamentations 2:16; Lamentations 2:17;
Lamentations 4:16; Lamentations 4:17.
(Lamentations 2:16.)
47.
Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
47. Like animals fleeing in
fear, we fall into the snare laid for us.
48.
Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
48. ().
Ain.
49.
Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
49-51. without . . . intermission—or
else, "because there is no intermission" [PISCATOR],
namely, of my miseries.
50.
Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
50. Till—His prayer is not
without hope, wherein it differs from the blind grief of unbelievers.
look down, &c.—
(Isaiah 63:15).
51.
Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
51. eye affecteth mine heart—that
is, causeth me grief with continual tears; or, "affecteth my
life" (literally, "soul," Margin), that
is, my health [GROTIUS].
daughters of . . . city—the
towns around, dependencies of Jerusalem, taken by the foe.
Tzaddi.
52.
Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
52-54. a bird—which is
destitute of counsel and strength. The allusion seems to be to [CALVIN].
without cause— (Psalms 69:4;
Psalms 109:3; Psalms 109:4).
Type of Messiah (John 15:25).
53.
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
53. in . . . dungeon— ().
stone—usually put at
the mouth of a dungeon to secure the prisoners (Joshua 10:18;
Daniel 6:17; Matthew 27:60).
54.
Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
54. Waters—not literally, for
there was "no water" () in the place of Jeremiah's confinement, but emblematical of
overwhelming calamities (Psalms 69:2;
Psalms 124:4; Psalms 124:5).
cut off— (Isaiah 38:10;
Isaiah 38:11). I am abandoned by
God. He speaks according to carnal sense.
Koph.
55.
I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
55-57. I called out of dungeon—Thus
the spirit resists the flesh, and faith spurns the temptation
[CALVIN], (Psalms 130:1;
Jonah 2:2).
56.
Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
56. Thou hast heard—namely
formerly (so in Lamentations 3:57;
Lamentations 3:58).
breathing . . . cry—two
kinds of prayer; the sigh of a prayer silently breathed forth,
and the loud, earnest cry (compare "prayer," "secret
speech," Isaiah 26:16,
Margin; with "cry aloud," Isaiah 26:16).
57.
Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
57. Thou drewest near—with Thy
help (James 4:8).
Resh.
58.
O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
58-60. Jeremiah cites God's
gracious answers to his prayers as an encouragement to his fellow
countrymen, to trust in Him.
pleaded— (Psalms 35:1;
Micah 7:9).
59.
O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
59. God's past deliverances and
His knowledge of Judah's wrongs are made the grounds of prayer for
relief.
60.
Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
60. imaginations—devices ().
Their vengeance—means
their malice. Jeremiah gives his conduct, when plotted against
by his foes, as an example how the Jews should bring their wrongs at
the hands of the Chaldeans before God.
Schin.
61.
Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;
61-63. their reproach—their
reproachful language against me.
62.
The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
62. lips—speeches.
63.
Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.
63. sitting down . . . rising
up—whether they sit or rise, that is, whether they be actively
engaged or sedentary, and at rest "all the day" (), I am the subject of their derisive songs ().
Tau.
64.
Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
64-66. (Jeremiah 11:20;
2 Timothy 4:14).
65.
Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
65. sorrow—rather, blindness
or hardness; literally, "a veil" covering their
heart, so that they may rush on to their own ruin (Isaiah 6:10;
2 Corinthians 3:14; 2 Corinthians 3:15).
66.
Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.
66. from under . . . heavens of . .
. Lord—destroy them so that it may be seen everywhere
under heaven that thou sittest above as Judge of the world.