John Calvin Commentary Lamentations 3:62

John Calvin Commentary

Lamentations 3:62

1509–1564
Protestant
John Calvin
John Calvin

John Calvin Commentary

Lamentations 3:62

1509–1564
Protestant
SCRIPTURE

"The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day." — Lamentations 3:62 (ASV)

Instead of thoughts, he now mentions lips, or words. The verb הגה, ege means to meditate, when no voice is uttered; but as the noun is connected here with lips, there is no doubt that the Prophet refers to words, rather than to hidden meditations. He then says, that such were the conspiracies, that they did not conceal what they had in their hearts, but publicly avowed their wicked purposes. Now this insolence must have moved God to aid his people, so unjustly oppressed.

He adds, every day, or daily. This circumstance also must have served to obtain favor, so that God might sooner aid his people. For had the ungodly made violent assaults, and soon ceased, it would have been easy to persevere in so short a trial, as when a storm soon passes by; but when they went on perseveringly in their machinations, it was very hard to bear the trial. And therefore we derive a ground of hope, supplied to us by what the Holy Spirit suggests to us here, that God will be merciful to us on seeing the pertinacity of our enemies. He then adds, —