John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 8:18

"Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! my heart is faint within me." — Jeremiah 8:18 (ASV)

Interpreters explain differently the word מבלגיתי, mebelgiti. Some take מ, mem, in the sense of ב, beth; but others, with whom I agree, regard it as a servile, deriving the word from בלג, belag; and this letter is prefixed to it to show that it is a noun. The ת, tau, also at the end, is a servile.

The Prophet then means that he sought strength in his sorrow, but that his heart was weak. He no doubt, I think, sets forth in this verse the perverse character of the people — that they sought through their obstinacy to drive away every punishment. This could not indeed be referred to himself, or to those who were like him, as we know how fearful God’s servants are regarding his wrath; for as the fear of God prevails in their hearts, so they are easily terrified by his judgment. But hypocrites and wicked men always harden themselves as far as they can.

They then strengthened themselves against God and thought in this way to be conquerors. Since they thus perversely contended with God, the Prophet sets forth here the great hardness of the people: I would, he says, strengthen myself in my sorrow; but my heart is within me weak; that is, “In vain are these remedies tried; in vain have you until now endeavored to strengthen yourselves and sought fortresses and strongholds against God, for sorrow will at length prevail, as the Lord will add troubles to troubles, so that you must finally succumb under them.”

He means the same when he says his heart was weak within him: “I have,” he says, “been oppressed with sorrow when I thought I had strength enough to resist.” For in this way the ungodly think to act manfully when they madly resist God; but eventually they find from the outcome that they in vain seek to strengthen themselves in this way. For our heart, he says, will become weak within us, and debility itself will at last oppress and overwhelm us.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that since we have been abundantly taught by ancient examples how insane they are who do not bend under Your threats, and do not repent in due time while You invite them to repentance — O grant, that we may wholly give ourselves up to be disciplined by You, and that we may not only bear chastisement with submissive minds, but also learn by Your warnings to return without delay to You, and that we may so remain in obedience to You, that with unceasing perseverance we may fight under Your banner, until, having at last finished our warfare, we shall enjoy that blessed rest which has been prepared for us by Christ our Lord. — Amen.