pulsatio, ut alii vertunt
JEREMIAH AND LAMENTATIONS
to ruin him. 563 He adds, ---
Lamentations 3:62
62. The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
62. Labia (vel sermones, aut, linguas) insurgebtium contra me, et sermones eorum contra me tota die (vel, quotidie.)
Instead of thoughts, he now mentions lips, or words. The verb {,}הגהege 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. 564 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 adds, every day, or daily. This circumstance also must have availed to obtain favor, so that God might the sooner aid his people. For had the ungodly made violent assaults, and soon given over, it would have been easy to persevere in so short a trial, as when a storm soon passes by; but when they went on perseveringly in their machinations, it was very hard to bear the trial. And hence we derive a ground of hope, supplied to us by what the Holy Spirit suggests to us here, that God will be merciful to us on seeing the pertinacity of our enemies. He then adds, ---
Lamentations 3:63
63. Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.
63. Sessionem eorum et surrectionem eorum aspice; ego canticum eorum (vel, pulsatio, ut alii vertunt
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,
knowest my sitting and my rising,'' (Psalm 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 men; and by sitting, he means their quiet counsels; for men either deliberate and prepare for work while they sit, or rise, and thus move and act.
He means, in short, that whether his enemies consulted silently and quietly, or attempted to do this or that, nothing was unknown to God. Now, as God takes such notice of the counsels and all the actions of men, it cannot be but that he restrains and checks the wicked; for God's knowledge is always connected with his office as a judge. We hence see how the Prophet strengthens himself, as we have lately stated, and thus gathers a reason for confidence; for the wicked counsels of his enemies and their works were not hid from God.
563There is no necessity, as some have supposed, of making {{ליin the former verse, and {}עליin this verse, the same. The difference is occasioned by the verbs ``thou hast seen,'' and, ``thou hast heard.'' God had seen the thoughts or purposes effected ``against'' him; and he had heard the purposes formed ``concerning'' him. He refers first to the purposes carried into effect, and then, as it is common in the prophets, he refers to the purposes previously formed respecting him. --- Ed
564The best word is muttering, — The lips of my adversaries, And their muttering concerning me all the day. It isn't here, as in the previous verse, "concerning me," not "against me." — Ed.