Lamentations 3:57

The benevolence, on the part of the person, the judge, is displayed here. First is shown his mercy towards miserable people, second, the justice of the judge. Regarding mercy toward miserable people, three more ideas are set forth. First is a prayer for such miserable …

Some think Jeremiah makes these complaints, not only as an intercessor for Israel, but as a type of Christ, who was thought by some to be Jeremiah the weeping prophet, because he was much in tears ( Matt. xvi.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

How different are our experiences from our fears! This man of God had said, "When I cry and shout He shuts out my prayer." He had said again, "You have covered Yourself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through." He had added to that, "Surely against me is He turned." But now he corrects his misapprehensions. Neither was prayer shut out, nor had God turned against him, for he joyfully confesses, "You drew near in the day that I called upon You: You said, Fear not."

How different are our experiences from our fears! This man of God had said, "When I cry and shout He shuts out my prayer." He had said again, "You have covered Yourself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through." He had added to that, "Surely against me is He turned." But now he corrects his misapprehensions. Neither was prayer shut out, nor had God turned against him, for he joyfully confesses, "You drew near in the day that I called upon You: You said, Fear not." As much as to say—"Not only did You hear me, but You did come to me! Not only did You hear me speak, but You did speak, Yourself, and I heard You say—'Fear not.' Not only were You not turned against me as an enemy, but You did prove Yourself my Friend by being my loving and tender Comforter." Brothers and Sisters, if our experiences have, so far, exceeded our expectations and belied our doubts, let us take care that we record them! Do not let us suffer our lamentations to be written in a book and our thanksgivings to be spoken to the wind. Write not your complaints in marble and your praises upon the sand! Let the record of mercy received be carefully made, accurately measured, distinctly worded, correctly dated and so preserved that in years to come you may turn for your encouragement to it. Jeremiah tells us that on such a day the Lord drew near to him. David remembered God from the Hermons and the hill Mizar—time and place are elements of interest in the memory of the Lord's great goodness. Note the particulars, dwell on the details—abundantly utter the memory of the Divine loving kindness! Maybe your children and your children's children may read the story of your experience for their learning—and nothing can be more fitting than that the fathers should thus lay up for their children.

Fear not - How powerful is this word when spoken by the Spirit of the Lord to a disconsolate heart. To every mourner we may say, on the authority of God, Fear not! God will plead thy cause, and redeem thy soul.