Jeremiah 20:11

11 But you are with me like a mighty warrior. So those who are trying to harm me will trip and fall. They won't win out over me. They will fail. They'll be totally put to shame. Their dishonor will never be forgotten.

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 Sometimes I think, "I won't talk about him anymore. I'll never speak in his name again." But then your message burns in my heart. It's like a fire inside my very bones. I'm tired of holding it in. In fact, I can't.

10 I hear many people whispering, "There is terror on every side! Report Jeremiah! Let's report him to the authorities!" All of my friends are waiting for me to slip. They are saying, "Perhaps he will be tricked into making a mistake. Then we'll win out over him. We'll get even with him."

11 But you are with me like a mighty warrior. So those who are trying to harm me will trip and fall. They won't win out over me. They will fail. They'll be totally put to shame. Their dishonor will never be forgotten.

12 Lord, you rule over all. You test those who do what is right. You see what is in people's hearts and minds. So pay them back for what they've done. I've committed my cause to you.

13 Sing to the Lord, you people! Give praise to him! He saves the lives of those who are in need. He saves them from the powerful hands of sinful people.