14 Cursed 'is' the day in which I was born, The day that my mother bare me, Let it not be blessed! 15 Cursed 'is' the man who bore tidings 'to' my father, saying, 'Born to thee hath been a child—a male,' Making him very glad! 16 Then hath that man been as the cities, That Jehovah overthrew, and repented not, And he hath heard a cry at morning, And a shout at time of noon. 17 Because he hath not put me to death from the womb, And my mother is to me—my grave, And her womb a pregnancy age-during. 18 Why 'is' this? from the womb I have come out, To see labour and sorrow, Yea, consumed in shame are my days!
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 20:14-18
Commentary on Jeremiah 20:14-18
(Read Jeremiah 20:14-18)
When grace has the victory, it is good to be ashamed of our folly, to admire the goodness of God, and be warned to guard our spirits another time. See how strong the temptation was, over which the prophet got the victory by Divine assistance! He is angry that his first breath was not his last. While we remember that these wishes are not recorded for us to utter the like, we may learn good lessons from them. See how much those who think they stand, ought to take heed lest they fall, and to pray daily, Lead us not into temptation. How frail, changeable, and sinful is man! How foolish and unnatural are the thoughts and wishes of our hearts, when we yield to discontent! Let us consider Him who endured the contradiction of sinners against himself, lest we should be at any time weary and faint in our minds under our lesser trials.