John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 31:4

"Again will I build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: again shalt thou be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry." — Jeremiah 31:4 (ASV)

Jeremiah, in this verse, continues with the same subject: that even though there would be the long period of seventy years, God would still become the liberator of His Church. Length of time might have extinguished the faith of the people, as is too often the case.

For when nothing appears to us but the naked word, and when God repeats the same promises day after day, we consider it insignificant. Then, when some evil has been prevailing, we think that all paths have been closed, so that God cannot bring a remedy.

We thus measure His power by our own standard. And since He often comes late to help us, because He allows people to be long afflicted with disease or other evils, we imagine that God will never come when He suspends and delays His favor longer than we wish.

Therefore, the Prophet says here, I will yet build thee, and built shalt thou be, virgin of Israel; and then, thou shalt yet be adorned with thy tabrets. Joy is here contrasted with the grief with which the people were to be oppressed in exile—and, indeed, had already been partly oppressed, as many had been driven into exile.

But Jeremiah expresses their joy and gladness by a figurative way of speaking, using terms like tabrets and dances of those who play. For when the Prophets announce the vengeance of God, they usually say, “All joy shall cease among you; you shall no longer play with the harp or with musical instruments.” So also in this passage, Jeremiah says that they would return to the tabrets and dances when God restored them to their own country.

However, we should not use this testimony of the Prophet to excuse profane licentiousness, by which profane people pervert the benefits of God. For they preserve no moderation in their joy but abandon themselves, and thus act wantonly against God.

And it is the tendency of all dances and sounds of tabrets to stupefy profane people. The Prophet, therefore, did not intend to allow this sort of licentiousness to the people, for we must always remember what he said previously: that the voice of praise would go forth with joy.

By tabrets and dances, he therefore means holy joy, connected with praises to God and with the sacrifice of thanksgiving.