Lamentations 5:19-22 You, O LORD, remain for ever; your throne from generation to generation.… For the ship doth not more naturally arise with the flowing in of the waters, than doubts in the soul with the coming in of troubles. For all this while God is but either trying thy disposition, and the frame and temper of thy spirit towards Himself, He is but seeing whether thou wilt love Him frowning as well as smiling upon thy soul (Isaiah 8:17), or ransacking of thine heart, and making discovery to thee of the filth and guilt of sin that is within thee, for man feels his sins with most hatred and sorrow in the times of God's withdrawings (1 Samuel 21:1, 2), or He is but putting thee into that most excellent life of His most precious saints. Thou wouldest live by sense, but He will now teach thee with David to live by faith (Psalm 27:13), or else the Lord is preparing thee for greater apprehensions of His love and favour for the time to come. Yet still, for all that hath been spoken, methinks I see you, O ye captived Jews, like Rachel, weeping and refusing consolation; what, are you like the marigold, which opens and shuts with the sun? are you as court favourites, whose comforts and discomforts depend upon the countenance or discountenance of their prince? I must needs acknowledge, that heaven's frowning, God's neglecting, or the Lord's deserting, wounds deep, and pierceth through a Christian's heart. And this hath been the cause why in an expostulatory way they have breathed out these, or the like complaints; if the Lord be with us, why is all this befallen us? Will the Lord cast off forever, will He not again show favour? hath He forgotten to be gracious, and doth His promise fail for evermore (Psalm 77:7-9)? Neither do I marvel if, in this pang those have been the expresses of their souls. For where is a believer's love concentrate, as it were, and gathered together, but in the Lord its God? and therefore it languisheth in His absence, and is ill at ease, until it enjoy His presence (Song of Solomon 5:8). Hath not the saints' rejoicing ever been principally in Divine communion (Psalm 4:7)? Is not the assurance of His love the very day and joy of a Christian heart? (D. Swift.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thou, O LORD, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.WEB: You, Yahweh, remain forever; Your throne is from generation to generation. |
    |