Charles Spurgeon Commentary Jeremiah 31:18

"I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself [thus], Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a calf unaccustomed [to the yoke]: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art Jehovah my God." — Jeremiah 31:18 (ASV)

I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; You have chastised me, and I was chastised,—

And there was an end of it—

I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; –

It is God who is here speaking. There is never a moan, or a sob, or a cry, or a sigh, but God hears it. The Lord is very quick to hear the sorrows of penitent sinners; there is no mistake about this matter, for he says, I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; –

You turn me, and I shall be turned; for you are the LORD my God.

If the Lord undertakes to turn us, we shall be truly turned, that is, converted.

You have chastened me, and I was chastened, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke:

"I bore the chastisement, but derived no benefit from it. I have not repented of my sin; I have not turned to you."

As a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.

There was never a heart that spoke thus unless grace had been secretly at work with it.

And depend upon it, if God has brought us to this point—that we are ready to declare him to be our God and are anxious to be the subjects of his converting grace—it is because God has looked upon us in his wondrous love.

If you desire to be turned towards God, you are already in a measure turned towards him. The desire to feel is a kind of feeling; the longing to believe has some measure of faith in it.

Be comforted by this thought, yet do not be content to rest where you are, but go on until you have all the blessing that the Lord is waiting and willing to bestow upon you.

Happy is the man who is saying to God at this moment, "Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God."

I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus;

There is never a penitent in this world bemoaning himself without God hearing him. Do not think that a single penitential cry ever rises unheeded from a contrite heart. That cannot be; God has a quick ear for the cries of penitents.

You have chastised me, and I was chastised, –

"No good came of it. I smarted, but I was not benefited: 'You have chastised me, and I was chastised,'" –

I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus;

What a wonderfully expressive word that word "bemoaning" is!

As a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke:

Since your chastisements have been of little service to me, lay your hand upon me.