John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 30:15

"Why criest thou for thy hurt? thy pain is incurable: for the greatness of thine iniquity, because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee." — Jeremiah 30:15 (ASV)

The Prophet now anticipates an objection, so that the Jews would not argue with God; for it clearly appears that they always complained of God’s extreme severity when they indulged themselves in their vices. As soon as God treated them as they deserved, they became exasperated and enraged against Him. Therefore, the Prophet now addresses their perverse and unjust complaints and asks why they cried out for their bruising, as if he had said that these clamors were much too late, when they had missed the opportunity for repentance. For God had suspended His extreme threats until the people had shown so much obstinacy that there was no room for mercy. When, therefore, the people’s wickedness had become incurable, the Prophet, as we have seen, proclaimed their exile.

Now, indeed, he derides their late crying, for they had been too long lethargic in their contempt of God: Why, then, do you cry for your bruising? Grievous is your sorrow, or, grievousness is to your sorrow; but for the multitude of your iniquity, and because your sins have grown strong, I have done these things to you. Here God frees Himself from the slanders of the people and shows that those who murmured or made a clamor acted unjustly, having not considered what they deserved: for they were worthy of the heaviest punishment, because they not only in one way brought ruin on themselves and increasingly aroused God’s vengeance, but had also for many years hardened themselves in their sins; and, besides this, they had given themselves up in various ways to every kind of wickedness, so that the Prophet justly upbraided them with a multitude of iniquity and also with a mass of sins. God then says that He had not exceeded the limits of moderation in the punishment He inflicted on the people, because their desperate wickedness and perverseness compelled Him. But consolation is immediately added,—