“Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!” All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.”
Jeremiah 20:8-10
Here Jeremiah first speaks to Pashhur, the temple security guard (vs 1–6); then he speaks to God (vs 7–12); and finally, he speaks to himself (vs 14–20). In Jeremiah 19, we read of him in the temple, announcing judgment on Jerusalem and Judah. In response, Pashhur had him beaten and imprisoned (v 2). On his release, he issued a devastating denouncement of Pashhur, giving the Lord’s new name for him, ‘Terror on Every Side’ (v 3), and announced comprehensive judgment on him, all his friends, and all of Judah. Exile in Babylon was certain, as was death and burial in a foreign land for Pashhur and his friends.
Surprisingly, after this confident pronouncement, Jeremiah accuses God of deceiving him (vs 7–12). It is all very well to give Pashhur a new name, but what about when Jeremiah’s foes hurl the same name at him (v 10)? He tried to keep silent but could not; his words just brought ridicule. However, this lament does not end on a negative note. As Jeremiah hears these taunts, he remembers that God is with him to deliver him, and he commits his cause to God. Verses 14–20 reflect even deeper despair. Jeremiah curses the day he was born and the man who announced his birth, ending with the unanswered question, ‘Why was I ever born?’ (v 18, NLT).
Nevertheless, the chapter is not totally negative. Verse 13 separates the two laments, setting the context for both. Jeremiah calls on the believing community to sing praises to the Lord who rescues the needy from their enemies. God remains the same today. If we bring our despair to him, we may experience a new revelation of the character and activity of God, who understands our disappointment when our hopes don’t eventuate.
APPLY
Jeremiah’s song of praise emerged from the depths of his despair. If we have the courage to be honest with God, like Jeremiah, we can find renewed confidence for living.
CLOSING PRAYER
Where I am weak, gracious Lord, I ask that you make your strength known in and through me. In my darkest moments, help me to remember that you, my Redeemer, are for me.
(from Encounter with God)