Geneva Study Bible I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. I am the man that hath seen {a} affliction by the rod of his wrath.
(a) The prophet complains of the punishments and afflictions that he endured by the false prophets and hypocrites when he declared the destruction of Jerusalem, as in Jer 20:1,2. He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light. He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day. Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones. My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail. He hath {b} built against me, and surrounded me with gall and labour.
(b) He speaks this as one that felt God's heavy judgment, which he greatly feared, and therefore sets them out with this diversity of words. He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old. He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy. He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my {c} prayer.
(c) This is a great temptation for the godly when they do not see the fruit of their prayers and causes them to think that they are not heard, which thing God uses so that they might pray more earnestly and often. He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked. He hath {d} inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
(d) And keeps me in hold as a prisoner. He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places. {e} He was to me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
(e) He has no pity on me. He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate. He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins. He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day. I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunk with {f} wormwood.
(f) With great anguish and sorrow he has made me lose my sense. He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes. He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD: And I said, My strength and my {g} hope hath perished from the LORD:
(g) Thus with pain he was driven to and fro between hope and despair, as the godly often are, yet in the end the spirit gets the victory. Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled {h} in me.
(h) He shows that God thus uses to exercise his, to the intent that by this they may know themselves, and feel his mercies. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. It is of the LORD'S {i} mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
(i) Considering the wickedness of man it is a marvel that any remains alive: but only that God for his own mercies sake and for his promise will ever have his Church remain, though they are never so few in number, Isa 1:9. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. They are new {k} every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
(k) We feel your benefits daily. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is my {l} portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
(l) The godly put their whole confidence in God, and therefore look for no other inheritance, as Ps 16:5. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. It is good for a man that he should bear the yoke in his {m} youth.
(m) He shows that we can never begin too soon to be exercised under the cross, that when the afflictions grow greater, our patience also by experience may be stronger. He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. He sitteth alone {n} and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
(n) He murmurs not against God, but is patient. He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. He putteth his {o} mouth in the dust; if there may be hope.
(o) He humbles himself as they who fall down with their face to the ground, and so with patience waits for comfort. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
For the Lord will not cast off for ever: For the LORD will not cast off for ever:
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. For he doth not {p} afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
(p) He takes no pleasure in it, but does it of necessity for our amendment, when he permits the wicked to oppress the poor. To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth, To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.
To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High, To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not. To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord {q} approveth not.
(q) He does not delight in it. Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord {r} commandeth it not?
(r) He shows that nothing is done without God's providence. Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good? Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not {s} evil and good?
(s) That is, adversity and prosperity, Am 3:6. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Why doth a living {t} man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
(t) When God afflicts him. Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. Let us lift up {u} our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.
(u) That is, both hearts and hands: for else to lift up the hands is but hypocrisy. We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned. We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through. Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people. Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
All our enemies have opened their mouths against us. All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction. Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people. Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission, Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission.
Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven. Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city. My eye {x} affecteth my heart because of all the daughters of my city.
(x) I am overcome with sore weeping for all my people. Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause. Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me. They have cut off my life {y} in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
(y) Read Jer 37:16 how he was in the miry dungeon. Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off. Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon. I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not. Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life. O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my {z} soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
(z) Meaning, the reason his life was in danger. O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause. O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me. Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me; Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;
The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day. The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick. Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.
Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands. Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them. Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD. Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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