15 Yahweh, you know; remember me, and visit me, and avenge me of my persecutors; don't take me away in your longsuffering: know that for your sake I have suffered reproach.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
The Prophet again turns to God, to shew that he had to do with the deaf. This breaking off in the Prophet's discourse has much more force than if he had pursued regularly his subject. Had he spoken calmly and in uniform order to the people, his address would have been less forcible, than by speaking to them as it were angrily and by severely reproving them, and then immediately by turning from them and addressing God as though bidding adieu to men. Of this we have spoken elsewhere, but it is well to remind you of what we have before noticed. We now perceive the design of the Prophet, in thus abruptly turning from the people to God, and then again from God to the people, even because he indignantly bore the loss of his labor, when the ears of almost all were closed, and when they had become so hardened that they had no fear of God, nor any regard for his teaching. As then the Prophet indignantly bore so great a wickedness, he could not but speak in a hasty manner. According to this strain, he now says, Thou knowest, Jehovah; remember me, and visit me, and avenge me of mine enemies The Prophet, however, seems here to have been more angry than he ought to have been, for revenge is a passion unbecoming the children of God. How was it, then, that the Prophet was so indignant against the people that he desired revenge? We have said elsewhere that the prophets, though freed from every carnal feeling, might yet have justly prayed for vengeance on the reprobate. We must distinguish between private and public feelings, and also between the passions of the flesh, which keep within no limits, and the zeal of the Spirit. It is certain that the Prophet had no regard to himself when he thus spoke; but he dismissed every regard for himself, and had regard only to the cause of God: for inconsiderate zeal often creeps in, so that we wish all to be condemned of whom we do not approve; and such was the excessive zeal of the disciples, when they said, "Lord, bid fire to descend from heaven to consume them, as was done by Elias." (Luke 9:54) But it is necessary not only to be moved by a pious zeal, but also to be guided by a right judgment: and this second requisite was possessed by the Prophet; for he did not let loose the reins to his own zeal, but subjected himself to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Since, then, these two things were united, -- a right zeal, to the exclusion of any private feeling, -- and the spirit of wisdom and a right judgment, it was lawful to ask for vengeance on the reprobate, as the Prophet does. There is further no doubt but that he pitied the people; but he was in a manner freed from the influence of human feelings, and had put off whatever might have disturbed him and led him away from moderation. Though, then, the Prophet was thus emancipated and freed from every kind of perturbation, there is yet no doubt but that he prayed for final judgment on the reprobate; and yet, if there were any healable, he doubtless wished them to be saved, and also prayed anxiously for them. In short, whenever the prophets were carried away by such a fervor as this, we must understand that they were fined by the Spirit of Christ; and we must know that, when they were thus fined, their whole zeal was directed against the reprobate, while they were at the same time endeavoring to gather together all that could be saved: and the same was the case with David; when he fervently implored destruction on his enemies, he no doubt sustained the person of Christ, as he was fined by his Spirit. (Psalm 35:4-6) Hence he turned and levelled all his vehemence against the reprobate; but, when there was any hope of salvation, David also, in the spirit of kindness, prayed for the restoration of those who seemed to have already perished. Now, then, when the Prophet says, "Thou knowest, Jehovah; remember me, and visit, me, and avenge me of my persecutors," he doubtless does not mean all his persecutors, but those who had been given up and devoted to destruction, and whom he himself knew to be reprobates. [1] He afterwards shews what he meant by these words -- remember me, and visit me; for he says, Take me not away by deferring So they render the passage, "Whilst thou bearest with the impiety of this people, and for a time suspendest thy vengeance, let not thy wrath take me away." The word 'rk arek, means to defer, to protract, and also to prolong, to extend, and to continue. Hence this meaning is not unsuitable, "Take me not away in the protraction of thy wrath;" that is, "By protracting thy wrath, not only for one day, but for a long time, take me not away, involve me not in the same destruction with the reprobate." David also prayed for the same thing, "When thou destroyest the wicked, involve me not with them." (Psalm 26:9) The sum of the whole is, that the Prophet asks a favor for himself, that God would make a difference between him and the reprobate while he was protracting his wrath; that is, while he was not only taking vengeance on the impiety of the people for a short time, but also while he was adding calamities to calamities, and accumulating evils on evils, and while thus his fire burned for a long time, until the whole land was consumed: and this is the meaning which I prefer, though all the interpreters agree in another. [2] It must further be noticed that the Prophet, in this prayer, did not so much consult his own advantage as the good of the people, -- that they might at length dread the dreadful judgment which was at hand. We have already stated how supine a security prevailed throughout Judea; and they also hoped, that if any calamity happened it would be for a short time, so that, having endured it, they might again live in pleasure and quietness. Hence the Prophet speaks of the protraction of God's wrath, in order that they might know, as I have already said, that the fire which had been kindled could not be extinguished until they all perished.
1 - There are distinctions here made not allowed by the passage. To pray for vengeance on enemies was in accordance with the covenant made with Abraham, "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee," Genesis 12:3. See also Genesis 27:29; Numbers 24:9. As they were the enemies of God's servant for delivering his word, they were the enemies of God himself; and they had already been wholly repudiated by God, and given up to judgment. -- Ed.
2 - The versions favor another view. The Septuagint omit the verb, and connect "long-suffering" with the previous clause, "Defend me from me persecutors, not in thy long-suffering;" that is, without delay, as the Targum literally expresses it. The Vulgate is, "Do not in thy patience take me;" the Syriac, "Do not according to thy long-suffering bring me out;" the Arabic, "Without delay;" it omits the verb, and connects the words with the former sentence like the Septuagint. The words may be thus literally rendered, -- Not in (or, according to) thy long-suffering receive me; that is, under they care and protection: he deprecated delay. This is the purport of all the versions, and also of the Targum. Venema divides the clause, -- Let there be no lengthening of thy wrath; receive me; Know that for thee I have borne reproach. Blayney's version is hardly intelligible, -- Within the length of thine anger comprehend me not. The meaning of which he says is, "Lengthen not thy resentment as to comprehend me within its limits." Probably the rendering of Cocceius is the best, -- Do not through thy long-suffering take me away; that is, "Do not bear long with my persecutors, and thus allow them to destroy me." The verb here used seems simply to take; but it signifies sometimes to take away, and sometimes to take into favor, to take under protection. The most intelligent rendering seems to be as follows: -- 15. Thou knowest, Jehova; Remember me, and visit me, And take vengeance for me on my persecutors; Through thy long-suffering towards them take me not away; Know that I have for thee borne reproach. "Take me not away" means "Suffer me not to be taken away." He feared for his life if the vengeance he denounced on the people was not soon executed. See Jeremiah 15:18. -- Ed.
This is the prayer of a man in bitter grief, whose human nature cannot at present submit to the divine will. God's long-suffering toward the wicked seemed to the prophet to be the abandonment of himself to death; justice itself required that one who was suffering contumely for God's sake should be delivered.
Rebuke - i. e., reproach, contumely.
O Lord - remember me, and visit me - Let me not be carried away into captivity; and it does not appear that he had ever been taken to Babylon. After the capture of the city he went into Egypt; and either died there, or was put to death by his countrymen.
O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and avenge me of my (o) persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.
(o) He does not speak this out of a desire for revenge, but wishing that God would deliver his Church from them who he knew to be hardened and incorrigible.
O Lord, thou knowest,.... All persons and things; he knew the prophet and his heart, and all that was in it; his innocence and integrity; all his afflictions, and what he met with from his enemies; and he knew them, and all their malicious designs against him:
remember me; with the favour which he bore to his own people, his covenant with him, his promises to him, and the word on which he had caused him to hope; because of his trials and troubles, he might seem to be forgotten by him:
and visit me; in mercy for good; and so the Targum adds,
"that thou mayest do well unto me:''
and revenge me of my persecutors; not so much for his own sake; unless this is to be attributed to his frailty and infirmity, to the warmth of his spirit, being a man of like passions with others; for private revenge ought not to be sought by good men, but for the sake of God and his glory, in whose cause he was engaged, and on whose account he was persecuted:
take me not away in thy longsuffering; while thou art bearing with others, do not take me away by death; or suffer them, whom thou dost forbear, to take me away, or give them an opportunity thereby so to do; or when thy longsuffering is at an end, do not involve me in the same calamity with them. The Targum is,
"do not give delay to my injury;''
or,
"length to my affliction;''
that is, do not delay to take vengeance on my persecutors; and to this sense Jarchi interprets it,
"do not take my cause, and leave it to thy longsuffering, but hasten and avenge me;''
and De Dieu proposes such a rendering of the words, "to thy longsuffering do not bring me" (q); and which sense is favoured by the Septuagint version:
know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke; let it appear, and that even to mine enemies, that it is for thy sake that all this reproach is cast upon me; and all these afflictions are endured by me, by thy resentment of their carriage to me.
(q) "ne ad longanimitatem tuam adduc me", De Dieu; "nec me capias ad dilationem irae tua", Gussetius.
It is matter of comfort that we have a God, to whose knowledge of all things we may appeal. Jeremiah pleads with God for mercy and relief against his enemies, persecutors, and slanderers. It will be a comfort to God's ministers, when men despise them, if they have the testimony of their own consciences. But he complains, that he found little pleasure in his work. Some good people lose much of the pleasantness of religion by the fretfulness and uneasiness of their natural temper, which they indulge. The Lord called the prophet to cease from his distrust, and to return to his work. If he attended thereto, he might be assured the Lord would deliver him from his enemies. Those who are with God, and faithful to him, he will deliver from trouble or carry through it. Many things appear frightful, which do not at all hurt a real believer in Christ.
thou knowest--namely, my case; what wrongs my adversaries have done me (Jeremiah 12:3).
revenge me--(See on Jeremiah 11:20). The prophet in this had regard to, not his own personal feelings of revenge, but the cause of God; he speaks by inspiration God's will against the ungodly. Contrast in this the law with the gospel (Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60).
take me not away in thy long-suffering--By Thy long-suffering towards them, suffer them not meanwhile to take away my life.
for thy sake I have suffered rebuke--the very words of the antitype, Jesus Christ (Psalm 69:7, Psalm 69:22-28), which last compare with Jeremiah's prayer in the beginning of this verse.
Thou knowest - My sincerity, or my sufferings. Visit me - With thy love.
*More commentary available at chapter level.