Jeremiah 20:12

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.

Jeremiah 20:12 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 20:12

But, O Lord, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins
and the heart
That tries the cause of the righteous, and vindicates them, rights their wrongs, and does them justice; being the omniscient God, the seer and searcher of the hearts and reins; who knows the uprightness of their hearts, as well as their ways, and the sincerity of their affections: or that tries the faith and patience of the righteous, their constancy and integrity; and upon trial finds that their affections are real, and their souls sincere; let me see thy vengeance on them;
his enemies and persecutors; he does not seek vengeance himself, but desires it of the Lord; he does not ask to see his vengeance, but the Lord's vengeance on them, what he thought was just and proper to inflict on them; he knew that vengeance belonged to the Lord, and therefore left it with him, and prayed for it from him. The Targum is,

``let me see the vengeance of thy judgments on them;''
for unto thee have I opened my cause;
or "revealed", or "made it manifest" F11; this he did in prayer, at this time, when he laid before the Lord his whole case, and appealed and applied to him for justice, who judgeth righteous persons, and judgeth righteously.
FOOTNOTES:

F11 (ybyr ta ytylg) "revelavi causam meam", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. So Schmidt.

Jeremiah 20:12 In-Context

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.
14 May the day I was born be under a curse! May the day I was born to my mother not be blessed!
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