Lamentations chapter 3

vs 56

Can you just imagine the feeling of relief even just knowing that the Lord is listening to you cries, after this whole experience? Makes me feel just that little bit more special, thinking that God listens.

vs 57

What better comfort to the man in the pit of despair, and quite possibly the pit where they threw him? God is near. Everything else is details. If God is near, we need not fear.

vs 58

Redeem takes up a rather forceful meaning here, especially when used with the language, 'took up my case.' Who's the guilty one here? Isn't it the rampaging army of killers? No, it's Israel! It's Jeremiah too! They are the ones that need redemption. Jeremiah sees it, at least. No doubt, after this whole thing, Israel is opening its eyes too.

vs 59

Obviously nothing God does to people is wrong. But Jeremiah has actually been faithful to the Lord, and of course just because God allows a rampaging horde of warriors to ransack your town doesn't mean they are all righteous about it.

vs 60

Sounds like they really did pick on him because he was a prophet. Unless... oh, hell no. Could it be Israelites picking on him? Like, "Damn it, you should have told us! More often! And dragged us! You should have used powerpoint! You brought this on us!" I wonder.

vs 61

Now I really want to know who his enemies were. But anyway, it may become clear, and right now it is certainly clear that they are enemies. What is also clear to Jeremiah is that their antagonism hasn't gone unseen - God knows about it. God knows he's not lying.

vs 62

Not only does God know that Jeremiah is truthful, he also knows their plans. So he can foil them. Muhaha.

Hmm, evil laughs perhaps are not supposed to accompany God's plan.

vs 63

They write songs about him! I guess being a prophet is a bit like being a politician - a celebrity by necessity. I wonder what their mocking songs were like. Anything like Weird Al?

vs 64

Revenge is a dish best served up by an immortal omnipotent God who is on your side, bitches.

vs 65

That really does sound like it could be Israelites, but I suppose it still could mean both. The punishment of a veil over their hearts sounds more like something to use on the people of God, but then God hardened Pharoah's heart too.

vs 66

And this makes it sound more like they aren't God's people, for surely Jeremiah wouldn't want them destroyed. So still a mystery really, but with this verse in hand I'll vote foreign powers rather than locals for the moment.