Verse Lamentations 3:60. We are men, and not gods, subjects, not lords; we are not our own masters, not our own carvers; we are bound and must obey, must submit. And again, a man! More is implied than is expressed. In Lamentations 3:34-36, certain acts of tyranny, malice, and injustice are specified, which men often indulge themselves in the practice of towards one another, but which the Divine goodness is far from countenancing or approving by any similar conduct. He remembered that as beat down and defeated the people of Jerusalem and Judah were, they were not yet completely consumed. And sinks within me. God has access to the spirit, and can so embitter that as thereby to embitter all the enjoyments; as, when the stomach is foul, whatever is eaten sours in it: "He has made me drunk with wormwood, so intoxicated me with the sense of my afflictions that I know not what to say or do. He delights not in the death of sinners, or the disquiet of saints, but punishes with a kind of reluctance. a. 2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light. But this was not all: Thou saidst, Fear not. Or, it may be rendered, "let him give his cheek.". 4. c. Because His compassions fail not: Even in the severity of correction Gods people endured, there was evidence of His compassions. He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. Remember my affliction and roaming, That even in the depth of their affliction they still have experience of the tenderness of the divine pity and the truth of the divine promise. They are new every morning Day and night proclaim the mercy and compassion of God. 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 Pt. You have heard my voice: Observe how he calls prayer his breathing; for in prayer we breathe towards God, we breathe after him. III. Verse 24. b. Mine eye affecteth mine heart What I see I feel. We dont live constantly focused on our sins and failings, but there are appropriate times to carefully, deliberately search out and examine our ways. To turn aside the justice due a man before the face of the Most High: The MT of verse 35 lends force to the concept of natural or inherent human rights when rendered, to pervert the right which a man has in the very presence of the Most High. Verses Lamentations 3:46, Lamentations 3:47, Lamentations 3:48, Lamentations 3:46-48, beginning with phe, should, as to the order of the alphabet, follow 49, 50, 51, Lamentations 3:49-51, which begin with ain, which in its grammatical position precedes the former. And we must thus humble ourselves, if so be there may be hope, or (as it is in the original) peradventure there is hope. That he is not able to discern any way of escape or deliverance (v. 5): "He has built against me, as forts and batteries are built against a besieged city. By soul - is humbled in me. 3. Historical Books The villages about Jerusalem. Verse 18. 5. 34 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth, 35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High, 36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not. It is just with God to make those who walk in the crooked paths of sin, crossing God's laws, walk in the crooked paths of affliction, crossing their designs and breaking their measures. c. For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men: When God does allow or send His judgments, He does not do it with a happy heart. Note, We should consider, to our terror and caution, that God knows all the revengeful thoughts we have in our minds against others, and therefore we should not allow of those thoughts nor harbour them, and that he knows all the revengeful thoughts others have causelessly in their minds against us, and therefore we should not be afraid of them, but leave it to him to protect us from them. Through the LORDs mercies we are not consumed: This was one of the things Jeremiah remembered. 4. He answers in the following verses, 1. Wisdom Literature Many times through the affliction he felt God to be his adversary, not his friend. Bad as things are, it is owing to the mercy of God that they are not worse. Fear not. 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. Far be it from God that he should do iniquity, or countenance those that do it. though thou knowest not what thy enemies meditate against thee; yet he who loves thee does, and will infallibly defeat all their plots, and save thee. This gives both birth and bitterness to the affliction (v. 1): I am the man, the remarkable man, that has seen affliction, and has felt it sensibly, by the rod of his wrath. I will stay myself upon him, and encourage myself in him, when all other supports and encouragements fail me." GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point I forget prosperity; it is so long since I had it, and so unlikely that I should ever recover it, that I have lost the idea of it. I am their song, their neginath, or hand-instrument of music, their tabret (Job 17 6), that they play upon, as Nero on his harp when Rome was on fire. (3.) He is good to those who do so, v. 25. The Septuagint and Vulgate seem to have read "From under heaven, O Jehovah:" and the Syriac reads, "Thy heavens, O Jehovah!" I have even given up all for gone, concluding, My strength and my hope have perished from the Lord (v. 18); I can no longer stay myself upon God as my support, for I do not find that he gives me encouragement to do so; nor can I look for his appearing in my behalf, so as to put an end to my troubles, for the case seems remediless, and even my God inexorable." God feels breath; and happy is he that can say, In thee I hope, Lord, and after thee I breathe or pant. (Trapp), iii. As breathing is a proof of animal life, so is prayer, though never so weak, of spiritual. Note, The distresses of God's people sometimes prevail to such a degree that they cannot find any footing for their faith, nor keep their head above water, with any comfortable expectation. Do we succeed in our designs, or are we crossed in them? 2. 2 15, 16. II. In the midst of these sad complaints here is one word of comfort, by which it appears that their case was not altogether so bad as they made it, v. 50. 59 O Lord, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause. The prophet here laments the injuries and indignities done to those to whom respect used to be shown, ver 1, 2. That though he makes use of men as his hand, or rather instruments in his hand, for the correcting of his people, yet he is far from being pleased with the injustice of their proceedings and the wrong they do them, v. 34-36. The reflected beams of God's kindness to them used to be the beauty of Israel; but now "thou hast covered us with anger, so that our glory is concealed and gone; now God is angry with us, and we do not appear that illustrious people that we have formerly been thought to be." Observe here, 1. 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. Now Jeremiah prayed that Yahweh would repay their enemies, and give them a veiled heart even as Judah was blind. 53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me. Keep silent: There came a young man to Demosthenes to learn oratory; he talked away at a great rate, and Demosthenes said, I must charge you double fees. Why? he asked. He has made my chain heavy: As the convict sometimes drags about his chain, and has a ball at his foot, so the prophet felt as if God had clogged him with a heavy chain, so that he could not move because of its terrible weight. (Spurgeon). In His wise judgments God caused grief, but promised to also show compassion, and would do so according to the multitude of His mercies. ii. 51 Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city. Our hearts must go along with our prayers. b. He has led me and made me walk In darkness and not in light. I said, I am cut off! Faith comes off conqueror, for in these verses the prophet concludes with some comfort. d. You have made us an offscouring and refuse: In the desire to turn back to the LORD, Jeremiah knew that it was important to honestly see their condition. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. Repay them, O LORD, The living man should be grateful he still has life, and recognize there is some justice in the punishment of his sins. His sense is that they should patiently receive the suffering and reproach God had appointed for them. Having stated his distress and temptation, the prophet shows how he was raised above it. Lamentations 3:3 "Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand [against me] all the day." The course of God's providence toward me is quite altered, his hand, that is, his power, which was accustomed to being with me, and for me, against my enemies, is now turned against me. The perverting of justice, and the subverting of the just, are a great affront to God; and, though he may make use of them for the correction of his people, yet he will sooner or later severely reckon with those that do thus. Fear and a snare have come upon us, He has bent his bow, the bow that was ordained against the church's prosecutors, that is bent against her sons, v. 12. They were against him like a fowler is against a bird. It leads too to the willingness to be treated like a slave (v. 30), for the yoke was a symbol of servitude (but cf. 31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever: 32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. To give emphasis, Jeremiah asked the same question in different words. (Lamentations 3:57-63) Thankful and confident of future help. so Job argues, ch. Let him sit alone and keep silent, God can interpret all. (Meyer). Many of the young men were carried into captivity. You have slain and not pitied. That, whatever men's lot is, it is God that orders it: Out of the mouth of the Most High do not evil and good proceed? V. That afflictions are really good for us, and, if we bear them aright, will work very much for our good. We should, we must, turn away from sin and self and turn back to the LORD. When we are sedate and quiet under our afflictions, when we sit alone and keep silence, do not run to and fro into all companies with our complaints, aggravating our calamities, and quarrelling with the disposals of Providence concerning us, but retire into privacy, that we may in a day of adversity consider, sit alone, that we may converse with God and commune with our own hearts, silencing all discontented distrustful thoughts, and laying our hand upon our mouth, as Aaron, who, under a very severe trial, held his peace. It is good because it saves from a thousand snares. It is good for a man to bear "As they deserve (v. 64): Render to them a recompence according to the work of their hands. This was the language of God's grace, by the witness of his Spirit with their spirits. Thou hast seen - all their imaginations Every thing is open to the eye of God. He that knows all things knew, (1.) It is good for young people to take that yoke upon them in their youth; we cannot begin too soon to be religious. Even when I cry and shout, Even in their catastrophe, God was faithful. Surely He has turned His hand against me Time and time again throughout the day. (Lamentations 3:19-20) The sinking soul. This I recall to my mind, 6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old. Verse 13. Give them despondence of heart" (so others read it); "let them be driven to despair, and give themselves up for gone." The LORD is my portion, says my soul, 44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through. He has made me drink wormwood. 3. In 1, 2, and 4, each of the 22 verses begins with a successive letter of the Greek alphabet. When we are meek and mild towards those who are the instruments of our trouble, and are of a forgiving spirit, v. 30. Note, It is common for base and ill-natured men to run upon, and run down, those that have fallen into the depths of distress from the height of honour. God's compassions fail not; of this we have fresh instances every morning. II. Lamentations 3 introduces another character: the geber, or "strongman," who is expected to defend the city from its attackers (verse 1). Some read it, at my gasping. We have work enough to do at home; we must each of us say, "What have I done? The prophet therefore considers them on the utmost verge of final reprobation: another plunge, and they are lost for ever. a. Your curse be upon them: According to the terms of the covenant Israel made with God (as in Deuteronomy 27-28), Israel would be terribly cursed if they disobeyed and rejected God. He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out; Give them sorrow of heart They shall have a callous heart, covered with obstinacy, and thy execration. That we may be entitled to the comforts administered to the afflicted in the foregoing verses, and may taste the sweetness of them, we have here the duties of an afflicted state prescribed to us, in the performance of which we may expect those comforts. Of this, death would deprive him; therefore let not a living man complain. (Clarke), ii. Prophets Did ever man paint sorrow like this man? Like the dead of long ago. e. Great is Your faithfulness: All this made Jeremiah consider the great faithfulness of God; that He never fails in sending His mercies and compassions. The prophet addressed him personally and directly: Great is your faithfulness. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness. The Lord approved not. 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. Praying is lifting up the soul to God (Ps 25 1) as to our Father in heaven; and the soul that hopes to be with God in heaven for ever will thus, by frequent acts of devotion, be still learning the way thither and pressing forward in that way.
Sugarful Perfume Vs Pink Sugar,
Conan Exiles Alchemical Fluids,
Senior Manager Salary Pwc Uk,
Caromont Health Medical Records,
Articles L
