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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Lamentations 3:42-54

It is easier to chide ourselves for complaining than to chide ourselves out of it. The prophet had owned that a living man should not complain, as if he checked himself for his complaints in the former part of the chapter; and yet here the clouds return after the rain and the wound bleeds afresh; for great pains must be taken with a troubled spirit to bring it into temper. I. They confess the righteousness of God in afflicting them (Lam. 3:42): We have transgressed and have rebelled. Note, It... read more

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 3:47

Fear and a snare is come upon us ,.... Or, "fear and a pit" F13 פחד ופחת "pavor et fovea", Calvin, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Michaelis. ; the fear of failing into the pit of ruin and destruction, on the brink of which they saw themselves; or fear seized us, and caused us to flee; and a snare or pit was prepared for us to fall into; so that there was no escaping hence: desolation and destruction ; desolation or devastation of their land; and destruction of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:48

Mine eye runneth down with rivers of waters ,.... Denoting the greatness of his grief and trouble at the afflictions of his people, and the vast profusion of tears on that account. Here the prophet speaks in his own person, expressing the anguish of his soul he felt, and the floods of tears he shed: for the destruction of the daughter of my people ; for those that were slain of them, or carried captive; see Jeremiah 9:1 . The Targum is, "for the destruction of the congregation of my... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:49

Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not ,.... From weeping, as the Targum: the prophet was continually weeping; the distresses of his people were always uppermost in his mind; and which so affected him, that it drew tears from his eyes, which constantly trickled down his cheeks: without any intermission ; or, "without intermissions" F14 מאין הפגות "a non intermissionibus", Montanus, Calvin; "sine intervallis", Cocceius. ; there were no stops or pauses in his grief, and in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:50

Till the Lord look do: on, and behold from heaven. Disperses and dissipates the cloud that was about him; shines forth and manifests himself, and looks favourably upon his people, and delivers them out of their troubles: this the prophet was in hope of, and was waiting for; but, till it came to pass, could have no rest and comfort. The Targum is, "till he look and behold my injury;' as if he had regard to his own personal injury done him; but the former sense is best. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:51

Mine eye affecteth mine heart ,.... Seeing the desolation of his country; the ruins of the city and temple of Jerusalem; and the multitudes of those that were slain, and carried captive; and the distresses the rest were in; this affected his heart, and filled it with grief; as his heart also affected his eyes, and caused them to run down in rivers of water, as before expressed; or, as the Targum, "the weeping of mine eyes is the occasion of hurt to my soul or life;' his excessive weeping... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:52

Mine enemies chased me sore like a bird ,.... That is weak and helpless, fearful and timorous; that flees from place to place when pursued; so it was with the prophet, or rather with the people of the Jews he represents; for here and in the following verses he speaks not only of himself, but of them; who, when they fled out of the city, were chased and pursued by the Chaldeans like a bird, till they were taken; see Jeremiah 52:7 ; without cause ; which may be connected with the word... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:53

They have cut off my life in the dungeon ,.... Jarchi interprets it, "they bound me in the prison.' Jeremiah was both in a prison and in a dungeon, where he was deprived of the society of men, as if he had been dead; and he was in danger of losing his life; but whether any respect is had to it here is not certain: it seems rather to respect the people of the Jews in captivity, who were deprived of their rights and liberties, and of the comforts of life; and were like dead men in their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:54

Waters flowed over mine head ,.... As in a pit or dungeon, where there is not only mire and clay, but much water, into which persons being put, sink, and are covered therewith; see Psalm 69:1 ; this is to be understood metaphorically of the waters of afflictions, which overflowed and overwhelmed the people of the Jews. Jarchi interprets it of the nations of the world, as much people are often compared to waters; and here the Chaldeans may be particularly intended, whose army overflowed the... read more

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