Charles Spurgeon Commentary Jeremiah 31:9

"They shall come with weeping; and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born." — Jeremiah 31:9 (ASV)

They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them:

Weeping and prayer go well together. There is no prayer like a wet prayer saturated with the tears of repentance.

I will cause them to walk by the rivers of water in a straight way,

Hear this, you mourners. God will supply your need with rivers of waters, and he will make you to walk in a straight way. Sometimes we are perplexed because the road seems to wind in and out like a labyrinth, but God can lead us in a straight way: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way,.

Wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel and Ephraim is my firstborn.

They had forgotten their relationship to Jehovah, but he still remembered that they were his children.

They shall come with weeping,-

Never mind the weeping, as long as they do come, and remember that there is no true faith without the tear of repentance in its eye: They shall come with weeping,-

And with supplications will I lead them:

The way of prayer is the way home to God.

I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, in which they shall not stumble:

Happy are the people who have such precious promises as these.

The way is to be straight, and their feet are to be so firmly planted in it that they shall not stumble.