John Calvin Commentary Lamentations 1:21

"They have heard that I sigh; there is none to comfort me; All mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: Thou wilt bring the day that thou hast proclaimed, and they shall be like unto me." — Lamentations 1:21 (ASV)

The verb שמעו, shemou, is written twice, but at the beginning without a nominative case; consequently, the sentence is incomplete until in the second clause the word איבי, aibi, is stated. Jeremiah clearly says that enemies had heard of the evils under which the people suffered—even that they were sighing and that no one showed them any kindness, for sympathy is commonly shown to those who are miserable.

By this circumstance, he emphasizes the severity of their punishment, as there was no one, as previously stated, to offer any comfort. But it is repeated that enemies had heard. Since there is nothing more bitter than reproaches, in times of adversity we try to somewhat withdraw ourselves from the notice of others. However, our misfortune is especially intensified when we become a public display for our enemies, for they take joy in our misfortunes and then triumph over us.

Therefore, when the chosen people said that enemies had heard, they thus showed that their miseries could not be worse: They have heard, then, that I was sighing and that no one comforted me. Who had heard? All my enemies; and they have rejoiced that thou hast done it.

Jeremiah seems to imply that their enemies, being fully convinced that God was displeased with His people, rejoiced more freely for this reason. At the same time, they believed it was all over for those miserable people with whom God was displeased. But I do not know if this view is well-founded.

Indeed, I do not reject it, nor will I argue with anyone who might hold that the enemies rejoiced because they thought God had become the enemy of that people, whom He had previously chosen and also protected. Nor is this view unsuitable, for the reprobate then fully triumph when they can boast that God is against us. But when such a thought does not occur to them, they still do not cease to rejoice when they see that we are oppressed and afflicted. So, even if they do not consider God’s hand, they still rejoice that it is done; that is, they rejoice that we are distressed, even if they do not understand who the author is. We may then understand the meaning simply as this: that the enemies of the Church rejoiced at that calamity, without considering who its author was.

But why is it stated that God had done it? It is to show that while the ungodly think that fortune is against us, it is our duty to look to God, for we should not judge things according to their spiritual blindness. Therefore, since they do not give God the glory He is due when they do not acknowledge Him as judge, we must always see with the eyes of faith what is hidden from natural human understanding—namely, that nothing happens to us except through the righteous judgment of God. So, although enemies did not have the wisdom to know why the Church was afflicted, the Church itself needed to use, by faith, language like this: that God had done it; they rejoiced that thou hast done it.

And it follows, Thou hast brought the day which thou hast called, or proclaimed; for קרא, kora, sometimes has this meaning. In short, the faithful now confess not only that they were afflicted by God’s hand, but also that what the prophets had so often threatened, and what had been despised, was now fulfilled.

For we have seen with what stubbornness that people rejected the warnings given by the prophets. God had often urged them to repent and had also proclaimed or set a time for them, but to no avail.

Therefore, the faithful now reflect on what had not been fully understood before: that the day which had often been proclaimed was now brought about. And so they confessed not only that they deserved punishment, but also that it was the right time for them to be disciplined, since they had not repented after being warned so often.

He adds, But they themselves shall be as I am. Here the future tense can be considered optative (expressing a wish), for a prayer soon follows that confirms this view. But we can also understand the meaning simply as this: that the faithful began to take courage as they looked forward to the time when God would repay the wicked according to their proud and disdainful exultations.