18 Why hath my pain been perpetual? And my wound incurable? It hath refused to be healed, Thou art surely to me as a failing stream, Waters not stedfast.
My brethren have deceived as a brook, As a stream of brooks they pass away. That are black because of ice, By them doth snow hide itself. By the time they are warm they have been cut off, By its being hot they have been Extinguished from their place. Turn aside do the paths of their way, They ascend into emptiness, and are lost. Passengers of Tema looked expectingly, Travellers of Sheba hoped for them. They were ashamed that one hath trusted, They have come unto it and are confounded.
To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. Till when, O Jehovah, Dost Thou forget me? -- for ever? Till when dost Thou hide Thy face from me? Till when do I set counsels in my soul? Sorrow inn my heart daily? Till when is mine enemy exalted over me? Look attentively; Answer me, O Jehovah, my God, Enlighten mine eyes, lest I sleep in death,
And I, lo, I have given thee this day for a fenced city, and for an iron pillar, and for brazen walls over all the land, to the kings of Judah, to its heads, to its priests, and to the people of the land; and they have fought against thee, and they prevail not against thee; for with thee `am' I, -- an affirmation of Jehovah -- to deliver thee.
I `am' the man `who' hath seen affliction By the rod of His wrath. Me He hath led, and causeth to go `in' darkness, and without light. Surely against me He turneth back, He turneth His hand all the day. He hath worn out my flesh and my skin. He hath broken my bones. He hath built up against me, And setteth round poverty and weariness. In dark places He hath caused me to dwell, As the dead of old. He hath hedged me about, and I go not out, He hath made heavy my fetter. Also when I call and cry out, He hath shut out my prayer. He hath hedged my ways with hewn work, My paths He hath made crooked. A bear lying in wait He `is' to me, A lion in secret hiding-places. My ways He is turning aside, and He pulleth me in pieces, He hath made me a desolation. He hath trodden His bow, And setteth me up as a mark for an arrow. He hath caused to enter into my reins The sons of His quiver. I have been a derision to all my people, Their song all the day. He hath filled me with bitter things, He hath filled me `with' wormwood. And He breaketh with gravel my teeth, He hath covered me with ashes. And Thou castest off from peace my soul, I have forgotten prosperity. And I say, Perished hath my strength and my hope from Jehovah.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Jeremiah 15
Commentary on Jeremiah 15 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 15
When we left the prophet, in the close of the foregoing chapter, so pathetically poring out his prayers before God, we had reason to hope that in this chapter we should find God reconciled to the land and the prophet brought into a quiet composed frame; but, to our great surprise, we find it much otherwise as to both.
Jer 15:1-9
We scarcely find any where more pathetic expressions of divine wrath against a provoking people than we have here in these verses. The prophet had prayed earnestly for them, and found some among them to join with him; and yet not so much as a reprieve was gained, nor the least mitigation of the judgment; but this answer is given to the prophet's prayers, that the decree had gone forth, was irreversible, and would shortly be executed. Observe here,
Jer 15:10-14
Jeremiah has now returned from his public work and retired into his closet; what passed between him and his God there we have an account of in these and the following verses, which he published afterwards, to affect the people with the weight and importance of his messages to them. Here is,
Jer 15:15-21
Here, as before, we have,