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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Lamentations 3:55-65

We may observe throughout this chapter a struggle in the prophet's breast between sense and faith, fear and hope; he complains and then comforts himself, yet drops his comforts and returns again to his complaints, as Ps. 42:1-11. But, as there, so here, faith gets the last word and comes off a conqueror; for in these verses he concludes with some comfort. And here are two things with which he comforts himself:? I. His experience of God's goodness even in his affliction. This may refer to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:62

The lips of those that rose up against me ,.... This is to be connected with the preceding words; and expresses the same thing in different language. The sense is, that the Lord heard the words which dropped from the lips of his enemies; their sarcasms, flouts, and jeers; their bitter reflections, severe invectives, and scornful language: and their device against me all the day ; or, "their meditation of ill against me"; or, "their speech", or discourse F24 הגיונם "meditationem... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:63

Behold their sitting down, and their rising up ,.... All their actions; the whole course of their lives; all which fell under the divine omniscience, Psalm 139:2 ; but that is not barely here meant; but that he would take particular notice hereof, and punish for the same. It may have respect both to their lying down at night, and rising in the morning; and to their sitting down at meals, and rising from them; at which times they were always meditating mischief against the people of God, or... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 3:62

Verse 62 Instead of thoughts, he now mentionslips, or words. The verb הגה, ege means to meditate, when no voice is uttered; but as the noun is connected here with lips, there is no doubt but that the Prophet refers to words, rather than to hidden meditations. (204) He then says, that such were the conspiracies, that they did not conceal what they had in their hearts, but publicly avowed their wicked purposes. Now this insolence must have moved God to aid his people, so unjustly oppressed. He... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 3:63

Verse 63 The Prophet repeats still the same thing, only in other words. He had spoken of the lyings in wait, and the conspiracies and the speeches of his enemies; he now adds, that nothing was hid from God. By sitting and rising, he means all the actions of life, as when David says, “Thou knowest my sitting and my rising,” (Psalms 139:2;) that is, whether I rest or walk, all my actions are known to thee. By rising, then, the Prophet denotes here, as David did, all the movements or doings of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Lamentations 3:52-66

THE SPEAKER 'S SUFFERINGS ; AN EARNESTLY BELIEVING PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE . He speaks as a representative of the nation; if we should not rather say that the nation itself, personified, is the speaker. In the first triad some have supposed a reference to the persecution suffered by Jeremiah at the hands of his countrymen. The "dungeon," or rather "pit," will in this case be the "dungeon" ("pit") mentioned in Jeremiah 38:6 . But a "pit" is a figure in the psalms for... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Lamentations 3:59-63

The Lord's knowledge of his people's sufferings and wrongs. The first thought which occurs to people when oppressed and afflicted is—The Lord takes no heed; he has no compassion; he will not help; my judgment is passed over from my God. But it is afterwards felt that such language is language of impatience and injustice. And the pious soul comes to rest almost satisfied beneath the blows and contempt of men, because a conviction springs up—It is all known to the omniscient and sympathizing... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Lamentations 3:59-66

The great appeal. We can see the advantage to justice of appealing from a lower to a higher court. Sometimes the process has to be repeated and the case tried again and again until the best attainable verdict is riot from the very highest tribunal. In the East, where justice was commonly neglected by indolence, outraged by violence, or prostituted by bribery, men felt strongly the value of an appeal To the believer in the supreme Judge it was a great satisfaction that he could turn from... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Lamentations 3:60-66

Jeremiah and his enemies. I. THE PROCEEDINGS OF THESE ENEMIES . The spirit of vengeance is in their hearts. Jeremiah has spoken steadily against them what Jehovah had laid on him to say. They know the language in which they have been described. It was, of course, just the thing to be expected that bad men should cherish vengeful purposes. And Jeremiah had to bear the consciousness of this—the very painful consciousness that he was the cause, however innocent, of showing up the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Lamentations 3:62

The lips stand here for "the fruit of the lips;" and the verb which governs the nouns is "thou hast heard," in the preceding verse. read more

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