Jeremiah 20:11

11 But the Lord is with me as a great one, greatly to be feared: so my attackers will have a fall, and they will not overcome me: they will be greatly shamed, because they have not done wisely, even with an unending shame, kept in memory for ever.

Jeremiah 20:11 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 20:11

But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one
The Targum is,

``the Word of the Lord is for my help.''

"Mighty" to support, uphold, defend, and deliver him; and "terrible" to his enemies. The prophet looks back to the promise the Lord had made him, of his gracious and powerful presence, ( Jeremiah 1:18 Jeremiah 1:19 ) ; which he now takes comfort from; and it would have been well if he had kept this always in view, and had continued in the same actings of faith and temper of mind: but this lasted not long, as some following verses show; therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and shall not prevail;
though they should very hotly and furiously pursue him, yet they should stumble and fall by the way, and not be able to overtake him, and execute their designs upon him; the Lord, who was with him, and on his side, would throw some things in their way, at which they should stumble, and which should hinder them from proceeding; they shall be greatly ashamed, for they shall not prosper;
when they see their schemes are disappointed, and they do not succeed, they shall be filled with shame and confusion: or, "because they do not deal prudently" ^F7, as the word is rendered, ( Isaiah 52:13 ) ; they do not act a wise, but a foolish part, and therefore shame will be the consequence of it; [their] everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten;
neither by themselves nor others; the memory of it will always continue, to their everlasting grief and reproach. A very learned man connects these words with the former, thus, "they shall be greatly ashamed, for they shall not prosper, with an everlasting shame never to be forgotten" ^F8, very rightly; so another learned interpreter ^F9.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 (wlykvh al yk) "quia non prudenter egerunt", Montanus, Piscator; "prudenter agunt", Calvin.
F8 "Erubescent valde, quia non prosperabuntur, ignominia aeterna non obliviscenda", De Dieu.
F9 "Pudefient, quod non profecerint, ignominia perpetuitatis (quae) non tradetur oblivioni", Schmidt.

Jeremiah 20:11 In-Context

9 And if I say, I will not keep him in mind, I will not say another word in his name; then it is in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am tired of keeping myself in, I am not able to do it.

10 For numbers of them say evil secretly in my hearing (there is fear on every side): they say, Come, let us give witness against him; all my nearest friends, who are watching for my fall, say, It may be that he will be taken by deceit, and we will get the better of him and give him punishment.

11 But the Lord is with me as a great one, greatly to be feared: so my attackers will have a fall, and they will not overcome me: they will be greatly shamed, because they have not done wisely, even with an unending shame, kept in memory for ever.

12 But, O Lord of armies, testing the upright and seeing the thoughts and the heart, let me see your punishment come on them; for I have put my cause before you.

13 Make melody to the Lord, give praise to the Lord: for he has made the soul of the poor man free from the hands of the evil-doers.