John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 31:13

"Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together; for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow." — Jeremiah 31:13 (ASV)

This is a confirmation of the previous verse, for he says that joy would be common to young women and young men, and also to the old. He had spoken of the perpetuity of joy, but he now extends this joy to both sexes, women and men, and to all ages.

We have spoken elsewhere of the dance—that wantonness in which the world indulges in its merriment was not permitted, as profane people have no moderation in their joy.

The Prophets followed the common way of speaking. Indeed, the Israelites had their dances while celebrating the praises of God, but it was a chaste and modest joy, indeed, and a sacred joy, for it was a way of worshipping God. Yet the Prophet speaks according to the common practices of the people, as in many other places, when he says that young women and young men would rejoice in the dance.

He then adds, I will turn their mourning to joy, I will console them and exhilarate them from their grief. Here the Prophet turns the thoughts of the Israelites away from the evils they then experienced, lest their grief should so darken their minds as to prevent them from tasting God’s goodness promised to them.

So that the feeling of present evils might not hinder them from coming to God and receiving his favor, he speaks of their grief and mourning. He implies that the change would be easily made by God’s hand when it pleased him to deliver his people and restore them to their former state, so that their complete happiness would take place under the reign of Christ.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as we are still in our state of pilgrimage, and as You make us partakers of Your goodness, according as You know to be necessary for us—O grant, that we, being ever reminded by Your benefits, may aspire to higher things, and may, through all the temptations with which we must contend, advance towards the goal set before us, looking for that perfect felicity in heaven, of which only a few sparks now shine before our eyes, and thus carry on a warfare under the banner of Your Son, so as not to doubt that a triumph is prepared for us in that blessed life which has been obtained by his blood.—Amen.