Matthew Henry Commentary Jeremiah 45:1-5

"The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these word in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch: Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for Jehovah hath added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest. Thus shalt thou say unto him, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up; and this in the whole land. And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not; for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith Jehovah; but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest." — Jeremiah 45:1-5 (ASV)

Baruch was employed in writing Jeremiah's prophecies and reading them (see Jeremiah 36), and was threatened for it by the king. Young beginners in religion are apt to be discouraged by little difficulties, which they commonly meet with at first in the service of God.

These complaints and fears came from his corruptions. Baruch had raised his expectations too high in this world, and that made the distress and trouble he was in harder to bear.

The frowns of the world would not disquiet us if we did not foolishly flatter ourselves with the hopes of its smiles, and court and covet them. What a folly it is, then, to seek great things for ourselves here, where everything is little and nothing is certain!

The Lord knows the real cause of our fretfulness and despondency better than we do, and we should beg Him to examine our hearts and to repress every wrong desire in us.