서론
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繁體中文
英文原文
The scope of this chapter is the same with that of the two foregoing chapters, but the composition is somewhat different; that was in long verse, this is in short, another kind of metre; that was in single alphabets, this is in a treble one. Here is, I. A sad complaint of God's displeasure and the fruits of it, La 3:1-20. II. Words of comfort to God's people when they are in trouble and distress, La 3:21-36. III. Duty prescribed in this afflicted state, La 3:37-41. IV. The complaint renewed, La 3:42-54. V. Encouragement taken to hope in God, and continue waiting for his salvation, with an appeal to his justice against the persecutors of the church, La 3:55-66. Some make all this to be spoken by the prophet himself when he was imprisoned and persecuted; but it seems rather to be spoken in the person of the church now in captivity and in a manner desolate, and in the desolations of which the prophet did in a particular manner interest himself. But the complaints here are somewhat more general than those in the foregoing chapter, being accommodated to the case as well of particular persons as of the public, and intended for the use of the closet rather than of the solemn assembly. Some think Jeremiah makes these complaints, not only as an intercessor for Israel, but as a type of Christ, who was thought by some to be Jeremiah the weeping prophet, because he was much in tears (Mt 16:14) and to him many of the passages here may be applied.
1-20
The Prophet's Personal Affliction (588 BC)
繁體中文
先知個人的苦難（主前588年）
¹ 我是因耶和華忿怒的杖，見過困苦的人。
² 祂引導我，使我行在黑暗中，不行在光明中。
³ 祂真是終日再三攻擊我。
⁴ 祂使我的肉我的皮衰老；祂折斷我的骨頭。
⁵ 祂築壘攻擊我，用苦膽和勞碌圍繞我。
⁶ 祂使我住在幽暗之處，如死了許久的人一樣。
⁷ 祂用籬笆圍住我，使我不能出去；祂使我的銅鏈沉重。
⁸ 我哀號求救，祂使我的禱告不得上達。
⁹ 祂用鑿過的石頭擋住我的道，祂使我的路徑彎曲。
¹⁰ 祂向我如埋伏的熊，又如隱密處的獅子。
¹¹ 祂使我偏離我的路，將我撕碎；祂使我荒涼。
¹² 祂張弓，將我當作箭靶子。
¹³ 祂使箭袋的箭進入我的肺腑。
¹⁴ 我成了我眾民的笑柄，終日成為他們的歌曲。
¹⁵ 祂用苦楚充滿我，使我喝醉茵陳。
¹⁶ 祂又用沙石磣斷我的牙，用灰塵遮蓋我。
¹⁷ 你使我遠離平安；我忘記了福祉。
¹⁸ 我就說：我的力量和我的盼望，都從耶和華那裡消失了；
¹⁹ 耶和華啊，求你記念我如茵陳如苦膽的困苦和艱難。
²⁰ 我心追想這些，就在我裡面消沉。
詩篇102篇的標題很可以作為本章的開頭——*那受苦之人被壓倒、在耶和華面前傾吐苦情時的禱告；*因為這裡所傾吐的苦情十分真切而流暢。讓我們留意其中的細節。先知訴苦，1. 神發怒了。這既是苦難的來源，也是苦難的苦澀（La 3:1）：*我是那人，那顯著的人，見過困苦，並深切感受過它，是因祂忿怒的杖。注意，神有時向自己的百姓發怒；然而這當被訴說，不是如斷絕的刀，而是如管教的杖；對他們來說，那是祂忿怒的杖，雖然眼前令人愁苦，至終卻是有益的管教。我們當預備見這杖的困苦，若我們因此杖受苦超乎平常，也不當發怨言，因為我們確知那怒氣是公義的，苦難是溫和且攙雜憐憫的。2. 他處於困惑、完全在黑暗中。黑暗代表大患難和困惑，既缺安慰也缺指引；這就是訴苦者的景況（La 3:2）：祂藉祂的護理、以及一連串無法解釋的事件，引導我進入黑暗，不進入光明，*進入我所懼怕的黑暗，而非我所盼望的光明。又（La 3:6）：*祂使我住在幽暗之處，*幽暗如墳墓，如死了許久的人一樣，就是那些完全被遺忘的，無人知道他們是誰、是怎樣的人。注意，神的以色列雖是光明之子，有時卻行在黑暗中。3. 神以仇敵的姿態，如同公然的仇敵向他行事。神從前是為他的，但如今「祂真是反過來攻擊我（La 3:3），就我所能分辨的；因為祂的手終日攻擊我。我每早晨受責罰，」Ps 73:14。當神的手不斷轉過來攻擊我們時，我們便受試探以為祂的心也轉過來敵對我們了。神曾一次說過（Ho 5:14）：*我向猶大家如獅子，*如今祂兌現了祂的話（La 3:10）：*祂向我如埋伏的熊，*以祂的審判突襲我，*又如隱密處的獅子；*以致我無論往哪一方去，都不斷懼怕被襲擊，總不能以為安全。人豈向仇敵射箭麼？*祂張弓，*那原為攻擊教會逼迫者而設的弓，如今彎向她的兒女，La 3:12。*祂將我當作箭靶子，祂瞄準了，必中目標，然後箭袋的箭進入我的肺腑，*給我致命的傷、內在的傷，La 3:13。注意，神的箭袋中有許多箭，飛得快、刺得深。4. 他如同在身體和心思上都大受痛苦的人。猶太的國現今可比作一個衰老皺縮的人，無藥可治（La 3:4）：*祂使我的肉我的皮衰老；*它們消損枯萎，我看來如同快要入墓的人；不，*祂折斷我的骨頭，*使我自己不能自救，La 3:15。*祂用苦楚充滿我，*就是對自己苦難的苦澀感受。神能進入人的靈，使之苦澀，從而使一切享受都苦澀；如同胃不清爽時，所吃的一切在其中都變酸：*祂使我喝醉茵陳，*使我因自己苦難的感受如此昏沉，以致不知當說甚麼、當作甚麼。祂將沙石與我的餅攙雜，以致我的牙**被磣斷（La 3:16），所吃的既不悅口也無滋養。*祂用灰塵遮蓋我，*如同舉哀者所行的，或（如有人讀的）*祂以灰塵餵養我。我以眼淚當食物，吃灰塵如吃餅，*Ps 102:9。5. 他無法看見任何逃脫或拯救的出路（La 3:5）：*祂築壘攻擊我，如同對被圍之城築起堡壘和砲台。從前有敞開的路，如今完全堵死了：祂用苦膽和勞碌四面圍繞我；我煩躁、焦慮、疲憊，要找一條出路，卻找不著，La 3:7。祂用籬笆圍住我，使我不能出去。耶路撒冷被圍時，說是四面被圍困，Lu 19:43。「我被鎖鏈所束；如同某些臭名昭著的罪犯被雙重鐐銬、負以鐵器，祂使我的銅鏈沉重。祂又（La 3:9）用鑿過的石頭擋住我的路，不僅用荊棘堵住我的路（Ho 2:6），更用石牆堵住，不能突破，以致我的路徑彎曲；我左右前後輾轉，要設法前行，卻總被擋回。」神使那些行在罪惡彎曲之路上、與神的律法相逆的人，行在苦難的彎曲之路上、與他們的計謀相逆、破壞他們的計畫，這是公義的。所以（La 3:11）：祂使我偏離我的路；祂使我的計謀盡遭挫敗，我的圖謀盡歸烏有，以致我被逼屈服於自己的敗亡。祂將我撕碎；祂撕裂而去（Ho 5:14），並使我荒涼，剝奪了我一切的陪伴和自身靈魂中的一切安慰。6. 神對他的禱告充耳不聞（La 3:8）：我哀號求救，如同真心懇切的人、如同要使祂聽見的人，祂卻使我的禱告不得上達，不容它進到祂面前。神的耳向來開放聽祂百姓的禱告，祂施恩的門向來為叩門者敞開；如今兩者都關了，連對那哀號求救的人也如此。這樣，神有時似乎向祂百姓的禱告發怒（Ps 80:4），他們被剝奪了不僅蒙允之益、連蒙悅納之安慰也沒有時，景況實在可悲。7. 他的鄰舍以他的患難為笑談（La 3:14）：我成了我眾民的笑柄，就是其中那些惡人，他們以公眾的審判自娛，尤其以先知耶利米的憂患為樂。我是他們的歌曲，他們的樂器，他們的鼓（Job 17:6），他們在上面彈奏，如同尼祿在羅馬焚城時彈琴。8. 他幾乎對拯救和釋放絕望：「你不僅從我奪去平安，更使我遠離平安（La 3:17），以致它不僅不在可及之處，更不在可見之處。我忘記了福祉；我享受它已久遠，我恢復它的可能性如此渺茫，以致我已失去對它的概念。我久已習慣於憂傷和奴役，不知喜樂和自由為何物。我甚至放棄了一切，斷定：我的力量和我的盼望，都從耶和華那裡消失了（La 3:18）；我不能再以神為我的支持而倚靠祂，因為我不覺得祂鼓勵我如此行；我也不能盼望祂為我出頭、結束我的苦難，因為這景況看來無藥可救，連我的神也不可挽回。」無疑他這樣說是他的軟弱（Ps 77:10），因為在神那裡有永遠的力量，無論祂百姓如何想，祂是他們不竭的盼望。9. 憂傷在每次記起苦難時都重新湧上心頭，他的回顧與他的展望一樣陰鬱，La 3:19,20。他曾像約伯那樣（Job 9:27）努力忘記自己的苦情麼？唉！這是徒然的；他在一切機會上都記得那困苦和艱難，那茵陳和苦膽。他如此強調地說到自己的苦難，因為他正是如此思想它，當他回顧時它如此沉重地壓著！這苦難本身就是苦難中的苦難。我的困苦和我的過犯（有人如此讀），我的患難和招致它的罪——這才是那困苦艱難中的茵陳和苦膽。*是罪使苦難的杯成為苦杯。*我心追想這些。被擄於巴比倫的人心中不斷存著圍城的一切苦難，耶路撒冷的烈焰和廢墟仍在他們眼前，他們追想錫安就哭了；不，他們不能忘記耶路撒冷，*Ps 137:1,5。*我心追想這些，就在我裡面消沉，*不僅因患難的感受而受壓，更因罪而痛悔。注意，在使人降卑的護理之下存謙卑的心，每逢記念我們的苦難和災禍時都更新我們為罪的痛悔，這是合宜的。這樣我們就能從先前的管教中得益，並防止將來更大的管教。
英文原文
The Prophet's Personal Affliction (588 BC)
¹ I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
² He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
³ Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
⁴ My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
⁵ He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
⁶ He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
⁷ He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
⁸ Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
⁹ He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
¹⁰ He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
¹¹ He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
¹² He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
¹³ He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
¹⁴ I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
¹⁵ He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
¹⁶ He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
¹⁷ And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
¹⁸ And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
¹⁹ Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
²⁰ My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
The title of the Ps 102:1-28 might very fitly be prefixed to this chapter—The prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and pours out his complaint before the Lord; for it is very feelingly and fluently that the complaint is here poured out. Let us observe the particulars of it. The prophet complains, 1. That God is angry. This gives both birth and bitterness to the affliction (La 3:1): I am the man, the remarkable man, that has seen affliction, and has felt it sensibly, by the rod of his wrath. Note, God is sometimes angry with his own people; yet it is to be complained of, not as a sword to cut off, by only as a rod to correct; it is to them the rod of his wrath, a chastening which, though grievous for the present, will in the issue be advantageous. By this rod we must expect to see affliction, and, if we be made to see more than ordinary affliction by that rod, we must not quarrel, for we are sure that the anger is just and affliction mild and mixed with mercy. 2. That he is at a loss and altogether in the dark. Darkness is put for great trouble and perplexity, the want both of comfort and of direction; this was the case of the complainant (La 3:2): "He has led me by his providence, and an unaccountable chain of events, into darkness and not into light, the darkness I feared and not into the light I hoped for." And (La 3:6), He has set me in dark places, dark as the grave, like those that are dead of old, that are quite forgotten, nobody knows who or what they were. Note, The Israel of God, though children of light, sometimes walk in darkness. 3. That God appears against him as an enemy, as a professed enemy. God had been for him, but no "Surely against me is he turned (La 3:3), as far as I can discern; for his hand is turned against me all the day. I am chastened every morning," Ps 73:14. And, when God's hand is continually turned against us, we are tempted to think that his heart is turned against us too. God had said once (Ho 5:14), I will be as a lion to the house of Judah, and now he has made his word good (La 3:10): "He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, surprising me with his judgments, and as a lion in secret places; so that which way soever I went I was in continual fear of being set upon and could never think myself safe." Do men shoot at those thy are enemies to? He has bent his bow, the bow that was ordained against the church's prosecutors, that is bent against her sons, La 3:12. He has set me as a mark for his arrow, which he aims at, and will be sure to hit, and then the arrows of his quiver enter into my reins, give me a mortal wound, an inward wound, La 3:13. Note, God has many arrows in his quiver, and they fly swiftly and pierce deeply. 4. That he is as one sorely afflicted both in body and mind. The Jewish state may now be fitly compared to a man wrinkled with age, for which there is no remedy (La 3:4): "My flesh and my skin has he made old; they are wasted and withered, and I look like one that is ready to drop into the grave; nay, he has broken my bones, and so disabled me to help myself, La 3:15. He has filled me with bitterness, a bitter sense of his calamities." God has access to the spirit, and can so embitter that as thereby to embitter all the enjoyments; as, when the stomach is foul, whatever is eaten sours in it: "He has made me drunk with wormwood, so intoxicated me with the sense of my afflictions that I know not what to say or do. He has mingled gravel with my bread, so that my teeth are broken with it (La 3:16) and what I eat is neither pleasant nor nourishing. He has covered me with ashes, as mourners used to be, or (as some read it) he has fed me with ashes. I have eaten ashes like bread," Ps 102:9. 5. That he is not able to discern any way of escape or deliverance (La 3:5): "He has built against me, as forts and batteries are built against a besieged city. Where there was a way open it is now quite made up: He has compassed me on ever side with gall and travel; I vex, and fret, and tire myself, to find a way of escape, but can find none, La 3:7. He has hedged me about, that I cannot get out." When Jerusalem was besieged it was said to be compassed in on every side, Lu 19:43. "I am chained; and as some notorious malefactors are double-fettered, and loaded with irons, so he has made my chain heavy. He has also (La 3:9) enclosed my ways with hewn stone, not only hedged up my way with thorns (Ho 2:6), but stopped it up with a stone wall, which cannot be broken through, so that my paths are made crooked; I traverse to and fro, to the right hand, to the left, to try to get forward, but am still turned back." It is just with God to make those who walk in the crooked paths of sin, crossing God's laws, walk in the crooked paths of affliction, crossing their designs and breaking their measures. So (La 3:11), "He has turned aside my ways; he has blasted all my counsels, ruined my projects, so that I am necessitated to yield to my own ruin. He has pulled me in pieces; he has torn and is gone away (Ho 5:14), and has made me desolate, has deprived me of all society and all comfort in my own soul." 6. That God turns a deaf ear to his prayers (La 3:8): "When I cry and shout, as one in earnest, as one that would make him hear, yet he shuts out my prayer and will not suffer it to have access to him." God's ear is wont to be open to the prayers of his people, and his door of mercy to those that knock at it; but now both are shut, even to one that cries and shouts. Thus sometimes God seems to be angry even against the prayers of his people (Ps 80:4), and their case is deplorable indeed when they are denied not only the benefit of an answer, but the comfort of acceptance. 7. That his neighbours make a laughing matter of his troubles (La 3:14): I was a derision to all my people, to all the wicked among them, who made themselves an one another merry with the public judgments, and particularly the prophet Jeremiah's griefs. I am their song, their neginath, or hand-instrument of music, their tabret (Job 17:6), that they play upon, as Nero on his harp when Rome was on fire. 8. That he was ready to despair of relief and deliverance: "Thou hast not only taken peace from me, but hast removed my soul far off from peace (La 3:17), so that it is not only not within reach, but not within view. I forget prosperity; it is so long since I had it, and so unlikely that I should ever recover it, that I have lost the idea of it. I have been so inured to sorrow and servitude that I know not what joy and liberty mean. I have even given up all for gone, concluding, My strength and my hope have perished from the Lord (La 3:18); I can no longer stay myself upon God as my support, for I do not find that he gives me encouragement to do so; nor can I look for his appearing in my behalf, so as to put an end to my troubles, for the case seems remediless, and even my God inexorable." Without doubt it was his infirmity to say this (Ps 77:10), for with God there is everlasting strength, and he is his people's never-failing hope, whatever they may think. 9. That grief returned upon every remembrance of his troubles, and his reflections were as melancholy as his prospects, La 3:19,20. Did he endeavour as Job did (Job 9:27), to forget his complaint? Alas! it was to no purpose; he remembers, upon all occasions, the affliction and the misery, the wormwood and the gall. Thus emphatically does he speak of his affliction, for thus did he think of it, thus heavily did it lie when he reviewed it! It was an affliction that was misery itself. My affliction and my transgression (so some read it), my trouble and my sin that brought it upon me; this was the wormwood and the gall in the affliction and the misery. It is sin that makes the cup of affliction a bitter cup. My soul has them still in remembrance. The captives in Babylon had all the miseries of the siege in their mind continually and the flames and ruins of Jerusalem still before their eyes, and wept when they remembered Zion; nay, they could never forget Jerusalem, Ps 137:1,5. My soul, having them in remembrance, is humbled in me, not only oppressed with a sense of the trouble, but in bitterness for sin. Note, It becomes us to have humble hearts under humbling providences, and to renew our penitent humiliations for sin upon every remembrance of our afflictions and miseries. Thus we may get good by former corrections and prevent further.
21-36
Words of Comfort to Israel; The Benefit of Afflictions; Comfort to the Afflicted (588 BC)
繁體中文
對以色列的安慰之言；苦難的益處；對受苦者的安慰（主前588年）
²¹ 我心追想這事，我就有指望。
²² 我們不致消滅，是出於耶和華諸般的慈愛；是因祂的憐憫不致斷絕。
²³ 每早晨這都是新的；你的誠實極其廣大。
²⁴ 我心說：耶和華是我的分；因此我要仰望祂。
²⁵ 凡等候耶和華、心裡尋求祂的，耶和華必施恩給他。
²⁶ 人仰望耶和華，靜默等候祂的救恩，這原是好的。
²⁷ 人在幼年負軛，這原是好的。
²⁸ 他當獨坐無言，因為這是耶和華加在他身上的。
²⁹ 他當口貼於塵埃；或者還有指望。
³⁰ 他當由人打他的腮頰；他滿受凌辱。
³¹ 因為主必不永遠撇棄人。
³² 祂雖使人憂愁，還要照祂諸般的慈愛施憐憫。
³³ 因祂並不甘心使人受苦，使人憂愁。
³⁴ 將世上一切囚犯壓在腳下，
³⁵ 或在至高者面前屈枉人的正當，
³⁶ 或在人的訴訟上顛倒是非——主都不贊成。
這裡雲開始消散，天色開始放晴；本章前半部的苦情十分陰鬱，然而此處曲調轉變，錫安的哀哭者開始稍有喜色。若非盼望，心必破碎。為了不讓心完全破碎，這裡有追想到的事，給予盼望的根基（La 3:21），這盼望是指向後文，而非回顧前文。我心追想（旁註如此說）；我們心中的、放在心上的，有時似乎完全失落遺忘，直到神以恩典使之歸回我們的心，使我們在需要時可以取用。*我心追想這事，我就有指望，*不至完全絕望。讓我們看看他所追想的是甚麼事。
一、景況雖然壞，但沒有更壞，這是出於神的憐憫。我們*因祂忿怒的杖受苦，但我們不致消滅，是出於耶和華諸般的慈愛，La 3:22。在患難中我們當為著信心和盼望的鼓勵，既留意對我們不利的，也留意對我們有利的。景況雖壞，本可以更壞，所以有盼望可能會好轉。當注意，1. 所承認的憐憫之流：我們不致消滅。注意，神的教會如同摩西的荊棘，焚燒卻不被消滅；無論它已遭遇或將遭遇何等艱難，它在世上必有存留，直到末了。它為人所逼迫，卻不被神所撇棄，所以雖然被擊倒，卻不被毀滅（2Co 4:9），受管教卻不被消滅，*在爐中被煉如銀，卻不被消滅如渣滓。2. 這些水流追溯到源頭：*這是出於耶和華的慈愛。這裡的慈愛是複數，表明其豐盛和豐富。神是取之不盡的憐憫之源，是發慈悲的父。注意，我們得以不致消滅，都當歸功於神寬容的憐憫。在我們四圍的別人已被消滅，我們自己也曾在消滅之中，然而我們不致消滅；我們出於墳墓之外；我們免於地獄之外。若神按我們的罪過待我們，我們早就被消滅了；但我們被按神的慈愛對待，*我們當為此承認、歸榮耀與祂。
二、即便在苦難的深處，他們仍有神聖憐憫的溫柔和神聖應許的真實的經歷。他們曾幾次訴說神沒有憐憫（La 2:17,21），但在此他們糾正自己，承認：1. 神的憐憫不致斷絕；它們實在沒有斷絕，不，就是當祂在怒中似乎收回祂的慈悲之時也是如此。這些憐憫之河充沛而穩定地流淌，卻永不乾涸。不；每早晨這都是新的；每早晨我們都從神那裡領受新的憐憫記號；祂每早晨以憐憫造訪我們（Job 7:18）；*每早晨祂使祂的判斷顯明，*Zep 3:5。當我們的安慰斷絕，神的憐憫卻不斷絕。2. *祂的誠實極其廣大。*雖然聖約似乎被破壞，他們承認它仍然完全有效；雖然耶路撒冷成為廢墟，*耶和華的真理存到永遠。*注意，無論我們受甚麼艱難，我們絕不可對神存任何嚴厲的想法，總要隨時承認祂既慈愛又信實。
三、神是，且永遠是，祂百姓全備的福分，他們已揀選祂、倚靠祂為此（La 3:24）：*我心說：耶和華是我的分；這就是，1. 「當我在世上失去了一切——自由、生計，幾乎連性命本身——我卻沒有失去我在神裡面的權益。」地上的分是會朽壞之物，但神是永遠的分。*2. 「只要我在神裡面有權益，在其中我就有了足夠；我有的是足以抵消我一切患難、彌補我一切損失的。」無論我們被搶去甚麼，我們的分是安全的。3. 「這是我所倚靠、所滿足的：*因此我要仰望祂。*我要倚靠祂，在祂裡面激勵自己，當一切別的支持和鼓勵都失效之時。」注意，以神為我們靈魂的分，然後在哀哭之中以祂為我們的分並從中得安慰，這是我們當盡的本分。
四、那些與神交往的人必發現信靠祂並不徒然；因為，1. 祂向如此行的人是恩慈的，La 3:25。祂對一切是好的；祂的慈悲覆庇祂一切所造的；祂一切受造物都嘗過祂的恩慈。但祂特別地向等候祂的人，向尋求祂的心靈施恩。注意，患難延長、拯救遲延之時，我們當耐心等候神和祂施恩的回轉。我們當憑信心等候祂時，當以禱告尋求祂：我們的心靈必須*尋求祂，否則我們尋求就不是為著尋見。我們的尋求有助於維持我們的等候。對於這樣等候和尋求的人，神必施恩；祂必向他們顯明祂奇妙的慈愛。*2. 如此行的人必發現對他們是好的（La 3:26）：*人仰望耶和華的救恩、靜默等候，這原是好的——*這是我們的本分，也將是我們無可言喻的安慰和滿足——盼望拯救必要來到，雖然橫亙其中的困難看來無法克服，等候它真正來到，雖然遲延許久，在等候時安靜無聲，不與神爭論，不使自己煩躁不安，而是順服神的安排。*父啊，願你的旨意成就。*我們若記念這事，就有指望最終一切必好。
五、苦難實在對我們有益，我們若正確忍受，就大有益處。不僅盼望和等候拯救是好的，在此期間處於患難中也是好的（La 3:27）：人在幼年負軛，這原是好的。許多少年人被擄。為使他們在其中安心，他告訴他們：負那被擄的軛對他們是好的，若他們肯適應自己的處境、努力達成神加這重軛在他們身上的目的，就必發現如此。這也很適用於神命令之軛。少年人在幼年負這軛是好的；我們作敬虔人不能開始得太早。我們若在年輕時就投入其中，就必使我們的職事更蒙神悅納、對自己更輕省。但此處看來是指苦難之軛。許多人發現在幼年負這軛是好的；它使本來會驕傲放縱、如未曾負軛之牛犢的人謙卑、認真、從世上得釋放。但我們何時負軛才實在好在幼年負呢？他在以下經文回答：1. 當我們在苦難下沉靜安穩之時，當我們獨坐無言，不帶著我們的抱怨在各樣人中往來，誇大我們的災禍，與護理的安排相爭，而是退到隱密處，在患難的日子考慮，獨坐，好與神相交、與自己的心交通，靜默一切不滿和不信的心思，如亞倫那樣在極嚴厲的試煉中閉口不言，用手捂口。我們要在軛下靜默，如同那些已經將軛負在身上的人，不是故意把它拉到自己頸上，而是當神把它放在我們身上時耐心順服。當那些年輕受苦的人適應自己的苦難，使自己的頸項適合那軛，努力達成神加苦難的目的，那時他們就必發現負軛對他們是好的，因為對如此受操練的人，它就結出平安的義果。2. 當我們在苦難下謙卑忍耐之時。從軛中得益的，是那口貼於塵埃的人，不僅用手捂口，表示順服神在苦難中的旨意，更口貼於塵埃，表示記念罪時的憂傷、羞愧和自厭，如同完全被征服、被挽回的人，如那些被征服的人那樣舔土，Ps 72:9。我們當這樣謙卑自己，或者還有指望，或（原文如此）恐怕還有指望。若在苦難下有任何途徑可以獲得並保持美好的盼望，就是這途徑了；然而我們對此當非常克制自己的期望，當以或者來期待，如同那些承認自己完全不配的人。注意，那些真正為罪自卑的人，樂於憑恩典在任何條件下得著美好的盼望，雖然為此他們口貼於塵埃；那些想要盼望的人也當如此行，若有任何鼓勵，就當歸之於白白的恩典，這可以使他們的心在口貼塵埃時不致沉入塵埃。3. 當我們對那些作我們患難器皿的人溫和柔順、有赦免之靈之時，La 3:30。從軛中得益的，是那任人打腮頰的人，他寧可轉過臉來（Mt 5:39）也不還第二擊。我們的主耶穌在此留了榜樣，因為祂任打人者打祂的背，Isa 50:6。那能忍受輕蔑和辱罵，不以辱罵還辱罵、以苦毒還苦毒，當他被滿受凌辱時，把它留在自己心中，不反擊、不把它再倒回那些灌滿他的人身上，而是在耶和華面前傾吐（如Ps 123:4那些心被驕傲人的輕蔑充滿的人所作的），他必發現負軛是好的，必成為他屬靈的益處。總而言之，患難生忍耐，那忍耐生老練，那老練生不至於羞愧的盼望。*
六、神必照祂苦待他們的時候，按時以合宜的安慰恩慈地回到祂百姓那裡，La 3:31,32。因此受苦者如此悔改、如此忍耐，因為他信神是恩慈憐憫的——這是福音悔改和基督徒忍耐的大動力。我們可以此激勵自己：1. 當我們被擊倒時，我們未被撇棄；父親管教兒子不是剝奪其繼承權。2. 雖然我們可能似乎一時被撇棄——當感覺的安慰懸而未決、所渴望的拯救遲延之時——我們並非真的被撇棄，因為不是*永遠被撇棄；與我們的爭論不會是永久的。3. 無論我們處於何樣憂愁，都是神所分派的，祂的手在其中。是祂使人憂愁，所以我們可以確信這是明智而恩慈地安排的；而且只是暫時的，在必要時，我們才在世上有憂愁，*1Pe 1:6。4. 神對那些祂自己所使之憂愁的人，仍有憐憫和安慰為他們存留。我們絕不可想：雖然神使人憂愁，世界會救助幫助我們。不；那使憂愁的，必須帶來恩寵，否則我們就完了。*同一隻手既造成創傷，又施行醫治。*祂撕裂，也必醫治我們，Ho 6:1。5. 當神回來以恩慈待我們時，不是照我們的功勞，而是照祂的憐憫，*照祂諸般——就是豐盛的——慈愛。*我們如此不配，唯有豐盛的憐憫才能救助我們；而從那裡我們還不能期望甚麼呢？而神使我們憂愁，一點也不當成對那些期望的妨礙。
七、當神使人憂愁時，是為著明智而聖潔的目的，祂不因我們的災禍而喜樂，La 3:33。祂確實使人受苦，使人憂愁；他們一切的苦情和患難都來自祂。但祂不是甘心如此行，不是從心裡如此（原文如此）。1. 祂從不在我們未給祂緣由之時管教我們。祂不像分賜恩惠那樣分賜不悅——*出於純然的善意。祂若向我們施恩，是因為如此在祂看為好；但祂若將苦難寫在我們身上，是因為我們既應受又需要。2. 祂不以使人受苦為樂。祂不喜悅罪人死亡，也不喜悅聖徒不安，而是帶著一種勉強來施行懲罰。祂離開本位施行懲罰，因祂的本位是施恩座。祂不喜悅祂任何受造物的痛苦，但就祂自己的百姓而言，祂不但不如此，反而在他們一切苦難中也同受苦難，祂的心為以色列的患難憂傷。3. 祂在管教時仍向百姓存慈愛。祂若不甘心使人憂愁，*就更不會甘心使自己的兒女憂愁了。無論如何，神仍向他們是好的（Ps 73:1），他們可以憑信心看見祂面上的怒容和手中的杖背後，心中仍存著愛。
八、雖然祂使用人作祂的手，或更準確地說作祂手中的器皿，來管教祂的百姓，祂卻遠非喜悅他們行事的不義和對百姓的傷害，La 3:34-36。雖然神藉著惡人不情理之人的暴力成就自己的旨意，卻不因此就認可那暴力——正如祂受壓迫的百姓有時受試探以為的那樣。Hab 1:3，你為何看著行詭詐的人呢？神的百姓受仇敵欺壓傷害有兩種方式，先知在此向我們保證神兩者都不贊同：1. 人若以武力傷害他們，神不贊同。祂自己並不將世上一切囚犯壓在腳下，反而顧念囚犯的呼求；祂也不贊成人如此行；不，祂甚為不悅。踐踏倒下的人、壓碎被捆綁不能自救的人，是野蠻的。2. 人若在法律的名義下、在假裝施行公義之中傷害他們——若他們屈枉人的正當，以致他不能發現自己的權利是甚麼或不能獲取，權利在他們觸及之外——若他們在人的訴訟上顛倒是非，作出錯誤的裁決或虛假的判斷，就當知道，（一）神看見了他們。這是在至高者的面前（La 3:35）；在祂眼前，在祂眼目之下，十分不討祂喜悅。他們不能不知道如此，所以他們如此行是向祂公然挑釁。祂是*至高者，他們濫用自己對臣民的權柄就是藐視祂對他們的權柄，不思想那居高位的鑒察，*Ec 5:8。（二）神不贊同他們。言下之意更多於字面。顛倒公義、顛覆義人，是大大冒犯神；雖然祂可以利用他們管教祂的百姓，但祂遲早必嚴厲追討行這事的人。注意，無論神一時容讓作惡的人亨通、藉他們成就自己的旨意，祂並不因此贊同他們的惡行。*神斷不致行惡，*也不認可行惡的人。
英文原文
Words of Comfort to Israel; The Benefit of Afflictions; Comfort to the Afflicted (588 BC)
²¹ This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
²² It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
²³ They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
²⁴ The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
²⁵ The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
²⁶ It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
²⁷ It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
²⁸ He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
²⁹ He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
³⁰ He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
³¹ For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
³² But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
³³ For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
³⁴ To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
³⁵ To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
³⁶ To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
Here the clouds begin to disperse and the sky to clear up; the complaint was very melancholy in the former part of the chapter, and yet here the tune is altered and the mourners in Zion begin to look a little pleasant. But for hope, the heart would break. To save the heart from being quite broken, here is something called to mind, which gives ground for hope (La 3:21), which refers to what comes after, not to what goes before. I make to return to my heart (so the margin words it); what we have had in our hearts, and have laid to our hearts, is sometimes as if it were quite lost and forgotten, till God by his grace make it return to our hearts, that it may be ready to us when we have occasion to use it. "I recall it to mind; therefore have I hope, and am kept from downright despair." Let us see what these things are which he calls to mind.
I. That, bad as things are, it is owing to the mercy of God that they are not worse. We are afflicted by the rod of his wrath, but it is of the lord's mercies that we are not consumed, La 3:22. When we are in distress we should, for the encouragement of our faith and hope, observe what makes for us as well as what makes against us. Things are bad but they might have been worse, and therefore there is hope that they may be better. Observe here, 1. The streams of mercy acknowledged: We are not consumed. Note, The church of God is like Moses's bush, burning, yet not consumed; whatever hardships it has met with, or may meet with, it shall have a being in the world to the end of time. It is persecuted of men, but not forsaken of God, and therefore, though it is cast down, it is not destroyed (2Co 4:9), corrected, yet not consumed, refined in the furnace as silver, but not consumed as dross. 2. These streams followed up to the fountain: It is of the Lord's mercies. here are mercies in the plural number, denoting the abundance and variety of those mercies. God is an inexhaustible fountain of mercy, the Father of mercies. Note, We all owe it to the sparing mercy of God that we are not consumed. Others have been consumed round about us, and we ourselves have been in the consuming, and yet we are not consumed; we are out of the grave; we are out of hell. Had we been dealt with according to our sins, we should have been consumed long ago; but we have been dealt with according to God's mercies, and we are bound to acknowledge it to his praise.
II. That even in the depth of their affliction they still have experience of the tenderness of the divine pity and the truth of the divine promise. They had several times complained that God had not pitied (La 2:17,21), but here they correct themselves, and own, 1. That God's compassions fail not; they do not really fail, no, not even when in anger he seems to have shut up his tender mercies. These rivers of mercy run fully and constantly, but never run dry. No; they are new every morning; every morning we have fresh instances of God's compassion towards us; he visits us with them every morning (Job 7:18); every morning does he bring his judgment to light, Zep 3:5. When our comforts fail, yet God's compassions do not. 2. That great is his faithfulness. Though the covenant seemed to be broken, they owned that it still continued in full force; and, though Jerusalem be in ruins, the truth of the Lord endures for ever. Note, Whatever hard things we suffer, we must never entertain any hard thoughts of God, but must still be ready to own that he is both kind and faithful.
III. That God is, and ever will be, the all-sufficient happiness of his people, and they have chosen him and depend upon him to be such (La 3:24): The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; that is, 1. "When I have lost all I have in the world, liberty, and livelihood, and almost life itself, yet I have not lost my interest in God." Portions on earth are perishing things, but God is portion for ever. 2. "While I have an interest in God, therein I have enough; I have that which is sufficient to counterbalance all my troubles and make up all my losses." Whatever we are robbed of our portion is safe. 3. "This is that which I depend upon and rest satisfied with: Therefore will I hope in him. I will stay myself upon him, and encourage myself in him, when all other supports and encouragements fail me." Note, It is our duty to make God the portion of our souls, and then to make use of him as our portion and to take the comfort of it in the midst of our lamentations.
IV. That those who deal with God will find it is not in vain to trust in him; for, 1. He is good to those who do so, La 3:25. He is good to all; his tender mercies are over all his works; all his creatures taste of his goodness. But he is in a particular manner good to those that wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. Note, While trouble is prolonged, and deliverance is deferred, we must patiently wait for God and his gracious returns to us. While we wait for him by faith, we must seek him by prayer: our souls must seek him, else we do not seek so as to find. Our seeking will help to keep up our waiting. And to those who thus wait and seek God will be gracious; he will show them his marvellous lovingkindness. 2. Those that do so will find it good for them (La 3:26): It is good (it is our duty, and will be our unspeakable comfort and satisfaction) to hope and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord, to hope that it will come, thought the difficulties that lie in the way of it seem insupportable, to wait till it does come, though it be long delayed, and while we wait to be quiet and silent, not quarrelling with God nor making ourselves uneasy, but acquiescing in the divine disposals. Father, thy will be done. If we call this to mind, we may have hope that all will end well at last.
V. That afflictions are really good for us, and, if we bear them aright, will work very much for our good. It is not only good to hope and wait for the salvation, but it is good to be under the trouble in the mean time (La 3:27): It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Many of the young men were carried into captivity. To make them easy in it, he tells them that it was good for them to bear the yoke of that captivity, and they would find it so if they would but accommodate themselves to their condition, and labour to answer God's ends in laying that heavy yoke upon them. It is very applicable to the yoke of God's commands. It is good for young people to take that yoke upon them in their youth; we cannot begin too soon to be religious. It will make our duty the more acceptable to God, and easy to ourselves, if we engage in it when we are young. But here it seems to be meant of the yoke of affliction. Many have found it good to bear this in youth; it has made those humble and serious, and has weaned them from the world, who otherwise would have been proud and unruly, and as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke. But when do we bear the yoke so that it is really good for us to bear it in our youth? He answers in the following verses, 1. When we are sedate and quiet under our afflictions, when we sit alone and keep silence, do not run to and fro into all companies with our complaints, aggravating our calamities, and quarrelling with the disposals of Providence concerning us, but retire into privacy, that we may in a day of adversity consider, sit alone, that we may converse with God and commune with our own hearts, silencing all discontented distrustful thoughts, and laying our hand upon our mouth, as Aaron, who, under a very severe trial, held his peace. We must keep silence under the yoke as those that have borne it upon us, not wilfully pulled it upon our own necks, but patiently submitted to it when God laid it upon us. When those who are afflicted in their youth accommodate themselves to their afflictions, fit their necks to the yoke and study to answer God's end in afflicting them, then they will find it good for them to bear it, for it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are thus exercised thereby. 2. When we are humble and patient under our affliction. He gets good by the yoke who puts his mouth in the dust, not only lays his hand upon his mouth, in token of submission to the will of God in the affliction, but puts it in the dust, in token of sorrow, and shame, and self-loathing, at the remembrance of sin, and as one perfectly reduced and reclaimed, and brought as those that are vanquished to lick the dust, Ps 72:9. And we must thus humble ourselves, if so be there may be hope, or (as it is in the original) peradventure there is hope. If there be any way to acquire and secure a good hope under our afflictions, it is this way, and yet we must be very modest in our expectations of it, must look for it with an it may be, as those who own ourselves utterly unworthy of it. Note, Those who are truly humbled for sin will be glad to obtain a good hope, through grace, upon any terms, though they put their mouth in the dust for it; and those who would have hope must do so, and ascribe it to free grace if they have any encouragements, which may keep their hearts from sinking into the dust when they put their mouth there. 3. When we are meek and mild towards those who are the instruments of our trouble, and are of a forgiving spirit, La 3:30. He gets good by the yoke who gives his cheek to him that smites him, and rather turns the other cheek (Mt 5:39) than returns the second blow. Our Lord Jesus has left us an example of this, for he gave his back to the smiter, Isa 50:6. He who can bear contempt and reproach, and not render railing for railing, and bitterness for bitterness, who, when he is filled full with reproach, keeps it to himself, and does not retort it and empty it again upon those who filled him with it, but pours it out before the Lord (as those did, Ps 123:4, whose souls were exceedingly filled with the contempt of the proud), he shall find that it is good to bear the yoke, that it shall turn to his spiritual advantage. The sum is, If tribulation work patience, that patience will work experience, and that experience a hope that makes not ashamed.
VI. That God will graciously return to his people with seasonable comforts according to the time that he has afflicted them, La 3:31,32. Therefore the sufferer is thus penitent, thus patient, because he believes that God is gracious and merciful, which is the great inducement both to evangelical repentance and to Christian patience. We may bear ourselves up with this, 1. That, when we are cast down, yet we are not cast off; the father's correcting his son is not a disinheriting of him. 2. That though we may seem to be cast off for a time, while sensible comforts are suspended and desired salvations deferred, yet we are not really cast off, because not cast off for ever; the controversy with us shall not be perpetual. 3. That, whatever sorrow we are in, it is what God has allotted us, and his hand is in it. It is he that causes grief, and therefore we may be assured it is ordered wisely and graciously; and it is but for a season, and when need is, that we are in heaviness, 1Pe 1:6. 4. That God has compassions and comforts in store even for those whom he has himself grieved. We must be far from thinking that, though God cause grief, the world will relieve and help us. No; the very same that caused the grief must bring in the favour, or we are undone. Una eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit—The same hand inflicted the wound and healed it. He has torn, and he will heal us, Ho 6:1. 5. That, when God returns to deal graciously with us, it will not be according to our merits, but according to his mercies, according to the multitude, the abundance, of his mercies. So unworthy we are that nothing but an abundant mercy will relieve us; and from that what may we not expect? And God's causing our grief ought to be no discouragement at all to those expectations.
VII. That, when God does cause grief, it is for wise and holy ends, and he takes not delight in our calamities, La 3:33. He does indeed afflict, and grieve the children of men; all their grievances and afflictions are from him. But he does not do it willingly, not from the heart; so the word is. 1. He never afflicts us but when we give him cause to do it. He does not dispense his frowns as he does his favours, ex mero motu—from his mere good pleasure. If he show us kindness, it is because so it seems good unto him; but, if he write bitter things against us, it is because we both deserve them and need them. 2. He does not afflict with pleasure. He delights not in the death of sinners, or the disquiet of saints, but punishes with a kind of reluctance. He comes out of his place to punish, for his place is the mercy-seat. He delights not in the misery of any of his creatures, but, as it respects his own people, he is so far from it that in all their afflictions he is afflicted and his soul is grieved for the misery of Israel. 3. He retains his kindness for his people even when he afflicts them. If he does not willingly grieve the children of men, much less his own children. However it be, yet God is good to them (Ps 73:1), and they may by faith see love in his heart even when they see frowns in his face and a rod in his hand.
VIII. That though he makes use of men as his hand, or rather instruments in his hand, for the correcting of his people, yet he is far from being pleased with the injustice of their proceedings and the wrong they do them, La 3:34-36. Though God serves his own purposes by the violence of wicked and unreasonable men, yet it does no therefore follow that he countenances that violence, as his oppressed people are sometimes tempted to think. Hab 1:3, Wherefore lookest thou upon those that deal treacherously? Two ways the people of God are injured and oppressed by their enemies, and the prophet here assures us that God does not approve of either of them:—1. If men injure them by force of arms, God does not approve of that. He does not himself crush under his feet the prisoners of the earth, but he regards the cry of the prisoners; nor does he approve of men's doing it; nay, he is much displeased with it. It is barbarous to trample on those that are down, and to crush those that are bound and cannot help themselves. 2. If men injure them under colour of law, and in the pretended administration of justice,—if they turn aside the right of a man, so that he cannot discover what his rights are or cannot come at them, they are out of his reach,—if they subvert a man in his cause, and bring in a wrong verdict, or give a false judgment, let them know, (1.) That God sees them. It is before the face of the Most High (La 3:35); it is in his sight, under his eye, and is very displeasing to him. They cannot but know it is so, and therefore it is in defiance of him that they do it. He is the Most High, whose authority over them they contemn by abusing their authority over their subjects, not considering that he that is higher than the highest regardeth, Ec 5:8. (2.) That God does not approve of them. More is implied than is expressed. The perverting of justice, and the subverting of the just, are a great affront to God; and, though he may make use of them for the correction of his people, yet he will sooner or later severely reckon with those that do thus. Note, However God may for a time suffer evil-doers to prosper, and serve his own purposes by them, yet he does not therefore approve of their evil doings. Far be it from God that he should do iniquity, or countenance those that do it.
37-41
The Duties of the Afflicted (588 BC)
繁體中文
受苦者的本分（主前588年）
³⁷ 若不是主命定，誰能說成就成呢？
³⁸ 禍福不都出自至高者的口麼？
³⁹ 活人因自己的罪受罰，有何理由發怨言呢？
⁴⁰ 我們當考查試驗自己的道路，再歸向耶和華。
⁴¹ 我們當舉心、舉手向天上的神。
為使我們有資格領受在La 3:21-36中賜給受苦者的安慰，並嘗到其中的甘甜，我們在此受吩咐受苦境況中的本分，在盡這些本分中我們可以期望得著那些安慰。
一、我們必須看見並承認神的手在一切隨時臨到我們的災禍中，無論是個人的還是公眾的，La 3:37,38。這裡提出一個大真理，有助於使我們的心在苦難中安靜並使之成為聖潔。1. 無論人的作為如何，是神在統管：誰能說了，事就成就（誰設計了一件事並使他的設計生效），若不是主命定呢？人不能作甚麼，除非照著神的旨意，也無權勢或成功，除非從上頭賜給他們。*人心籌算自己的道路；*他計畫定意；他說他要如此如此行（Jam 4:13）；但耶和華指引他的腳步，與他所設計的大不相同，他所籌算所期望的不成就，除非是神的手和祂的旨意從前所定規要作的，Pr 16:9，Jer 10:23。迦勒底人說他們要毀滅耶路撒冷，事就成就了，不是因為他們說了，而是因為神命定並授權他們如此行。注意，人不過是大神在治理這個低下世界中所使用、隨己意管理的工具；離了祂，他們任何計謀都不能成就。2. 無論人的遭遇如何，是神安排的：禍福不都從至高者的口中出來麼？是的，確實如此；而且原文更為強調：這禍和這福豈不是都從至高者的口中出來麼？豈不是祂為我們所命定所指定的麼？是的，確實如此；為使我們與自己的苦難和解，無論是甚麼，這個普遍的真理就當如此具體地應用。我從神手裡得福，不也當受那禍麼？約伯如此辯論，Job 2:10。我們健康還是患病？富足還是貧窮？我們謀事成功還是處處受挫？這一切都是神安排的；*各人的審判都從祂而來。耶和華賞賜，耶和華也取去；*祂造光又造暗，如同起初所作的一樣。注意，神護理的一切事件都是神旨意的產物；無論發生甚麼，神都在其中指引，祂手所作的與祂口所說的相符；*祂說有就有，*祂一切的旨意都如此輕易、如此有效第成就。
二、我們不可因神隨時加在我們身上的任何苦難而與祂爭辯（La 3:39）：活人為何發怨言呢？先知在此似乎在糾正自己在本章前半部所發的苦情，在其中他似乎暗示神不仁慈、嚴厲。「我這樣發怒合理麼？我為何如此煩躁呢？」那些在急躁中頂撞了神的人，在回想時必責備自己。他從他在La 3:21-36中所肯定的神主權和普世護理的教義，推論出：活人為何發怨言呢？神所作的，我們不可張口反對，Ps 39:9。那些抱怨自己遭遇的人就是褻瀆那分配遭遇的主。被擄中的受苦者必須在一切受苦中順服神的旨意。注意，我們雖然可以在神面前傾吐苦情，卻絕不可對神提出控訴。甚麼！活人為何發怨言，為自己的罪受罰的人為何發怨言呢？這裡所提出的理由很有力。1. 我們是人；讓我們在其中表明自己是人。人會發怨言麼？又說，人！我們是人，不是牲畜，是理性受造物，當以理性行事，當向上看、向前看，兩方面都能找到足夠的理由使我們的抱怨止息。我們是人，不是每受一點傷害就哭號的孩童。我們是人，不是神明，是臣民，不是主子；我們不是自己的主人，不是自己的雕刻家；我們受捆綁，必須順服。我們是人，不是天使，所以不能如他們那樣指望免於患難；我們不是那無憂之鄉的居民，而是這除了憂愁別無所有的世界之居民。我們是人，不是魔鬼，並非處於他們那樣可悲、無助、絕望的景況，而有一些他們所沒有的可資安慰之物。2. 我們是活人。靠著我們神施恩的手，我們仍然活著，雖然日日冒死；活人還要發怨言麼？不；他更當為生命感恩，而不是為生命的任何重擔和災禍發怨言。我們的生命脆弱且已喪失，卻仍然活著；如今活人，活人，他當讚美，而不是發怨言（Isa 38:19）；只要活著就有盼望，所以與其抱怨景況不好，不如以將要好轉的盼望激勵自己。3. 我們是罪人，我們所抱怨的是我們罪的公正刑罰；不，它遠輕於我們的罪孽所應受的。我們幾乎沒有理由抱怨我們的患難，因為它是我們自己造成的；我們只能怪自己。我們自己的邪惡懲罰我們，Pr 19:3。我們沒有理由與神爭辯，因為祂在其中是公義的；祂是世界的治理者，藉著管教不順從的人來維護祂治理的尊嚴，這是必要的。我們為自己的罪受苦麼？那就不可發怨言；因為我們還有別的事當作；與其怨恨，不如悔改；作為神已與我們和好的憑據，我們當努力與祂的聖潔旨意和好。我們為自己的罪受罰麼？那麼順服、親吻那杖就是智慧；因為我們若仍然行事與神相背，祂必加重七倍刑罰我們；因為祂施行審判時必得勝。但我們若適應祂，雖然受主管教，卻不至和世界一同被定罪。
三、我們當努力達成神加苦難的目的——使我們記念罪、領我們歸回祂自己，La 3:40。這是我們的苦難當促使我們作的兩件事。1. 認真省察自己、回顧過往的生活。*我們當考查試驗自己的道路，考查它們一向如何，然後試驗它們是否正當美好；如同考查一個喬裝逃匿的罪犯，然後審判有罪還是無罪。讓良心既用以考查、又用以試驗，任憑它忠實地作為，完成殷勤的考查和公正的審判。我們當試驗我們的道路，好藉此試驗自己，因為我們判斷自己的景況不是憑微弱的願望，而是憑我們的腳步，不是憑一步，而是憑我們的道路——我們所瞄準的目標、所遵行的準則、我們心靈的性情和生活的總體與那些目標和準則的相符程度。我們在苦難中當省察自己的道路（Hag 1:5），好使不當的可以悔改、將來可以改正，如此我們就達成了苦難的目的。我們在公眾災難時易於反省別人的道路，把責任推給他們；然而我們的事是考查試驗我們自己**的道路。*我們在家中有足夠的事當作；我們各人當說：「我作了甚麼？我對公眾的烈火有何貢獻？」好使我們各人改過一人，那麼我們就全都改過了。2. 真誠地歸向神：*我們當再歸向耶和華，歸向那轉過來反對我們、我們又離棄了的主；我們當藉著悔改和改革歸向祂，歸向我們的擁有者和治理者。我們從前與祂同在，自從離棄祂以來，我們就未曾好過；如今讓我們再歸向祂。這必須伴隨前者並作為其果子；因此我們當考查試驗我們的道路，*好使我們從其中的惡轉向神。這是大衛所採取的方法，Ps 119:59：我思想自己的道路，就轉步歸向你的法度。
四、我們當在敬虔的火燄中將自己和我們最深的愛戴與事奉獻給神，La 3:41。我們在苦難中，1. 當仰望神為天上的神，無限地超越我們，對我們有不容置疑的統治權；因為天確實掌權，所以不當與之爭辯，而當順服。2. 當向祂禱告，存著相信的期望從祂領受憐憫；因為這包含在我們向祂舉手之中（這是禱告中常用的姿勢，有時用以代表禱告，如Ps 141:2，願我舉手祈禱，如獻晚祭）；這表示我們從祂求憐憫、並預備好領受那憐憫。（三）我們的心必須隨我們的禱告而行。我們當*舉心、舉手，如同我們當傾吐靈魂與我們的話語一起。在禱告和一切別的事奉中，神所看的是心；因為沒有心的獻祭有何用處呢？若內在的印象不能與外表的表達相稱，我們不過是嘲笑神、欺騙自己。禱告是將靈魂舉向神（Ps 25:1），舉向我們在天上的父；*那盼望永遠在天上與神同在的靈魂，必如此藉著頻繁的敬虔操練不斷學習通往那裡的道路，並在那路上奮力前行。
英文原文
The Duties of the Afflicted (588 BC)
³⁷ Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
³⁸ Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
³⁹ Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
⁴⁰ Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
⁴¹ Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
That we may be entitled to the comforts administered to the afflicted in the La 3:21-36, and may taste the sweetness of them, we have here the duties of an afflicted state prescribed to us, in the performance of which we may expect those comforts.
I. We must see and acknowledge the hand of God in all the calamities that befal us at any time, whether personal or public, La 3:37,38. This is here laid down as a great truth, which will help to quiet our spirits under our afflictions and to sanctify them to us. 1. That, whatever men's actions are, it is God that overrules them: Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass (that designs a thing and bring his designs to effect), if the Lord commandeth it not? Men can do nothing but according to the counsel of God, nor have any power or success but what is given them from above. A man's heart devises his way; he projects and purposes; he says that he will do so and so (Jam 4:13); but the Lord directs his steps far otherwise than he designed them, and what he contrived and expected does not come to pass, unless it be what God's hand and his counsel had determined before to be done, Pr 16:9, Jer 10:23. The Chaldeans said that they would destroy Jerusalem, and it came to pass, not because they said it, but because God commanded it and commissioned them to do it. Note, Men are but tools which the great God makes use of, and manages as he pleases, in the government of this lower world; and they cannot accomplish any of their designs without him. 2. That, whatever men's lot is, it is God that orders it: Out of the mouth of the Most High do not evil and good proceed? Yes, certainly they do; and it is more emphatically expressed in the original: Do not this evil, and this good, proceed out of the mouth of the Most High? Is it not what he has ordained and appointed for us? Yes, certainly it is; and for the reconciling of us to our own afflictions, whatever they be, this general truth must thus be particularly applied. This comfort I receive from the hand of God, and shall I not receive that evil also? so Job argues, Job 2:10. Are we healthful or sickly, rich or poor? Do we succeed in our designs, or are we crossed in them? It is all what God orders; every man's judgment proceeds from him. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; he forms the light and creates the darkness, as he did at first. Note, All the events of divine Providence are the products of a divine counsel; whatever is done God has the directing of it, and the works of his hands agree with the words of his mouth; he speaks, and it is done, so easily, so effectually are all his purposes fulfilled.
II. We must not quarrel with God for any affliction that he lays upon us at any time (La 3:39): Wherefore does a living man complain? The prophet here seems to check himself for the complaint he had made in the former part of the chapter, wherein he seemed to reflect upon God as unkind and severe. "Do I well to be angry? Why do I fret thus?" Those who in their haste have chidden with God must, in the reflection, chide themselves for it. From the doctrine of God's sovereign and universal providence, which he had asserted in the La 3:21-36, he draws this inference, Wherefore does a living man complain? What God does we must not open our mouths against, Ps 39:9. Those that blame their lot reproach him that allotted it to them. The sufferers in the captivity must submit to the will of God in all their sufferings. Note, Though we may pour out our complaints before God, we must never exhibit any complaints against God. What! Shall a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? The reasons here urged are very cogent. 1. We are men; let us herein show ourselves men. Shall a man complain? And again, a man! We are men, and not brutes, reasonable creatures, who should act with reason, who should look upward and look forward, and both ways may fetch considerations enough to silence our complaints. We are men, and not children that cry for every thing that hurts them. We are men, and not gods, subjects, not lords; we are not our own masters, not our own carvers; we are bound and must obey, must submit. We are men, and not angels, and therefore cannot expect to be free from troubles as they are; we are not inhabitants of that world where there is no sorrow, but this where there is nothing but sorrow. We are men, and not devils, are not in that deplorable, helpless, hopeless, state that they are in, but have something to comfort ourselves with which they have not. 2. We are living men. Through the good hand of our God upon us we are alive yet, though dying daily; and shall a living man complain? No; he has more reason to be thankful for life than to complain of any of the burdens and calamities of life. Our lives are frail and forfeited, and yet we are alive; now the living, the living, they should praise, and not complain (Isa 38:19); while there is life there is hope, and therefore, instead of complaining that things are bad, we should encourage ourselves with the hope that they will be better. 3. We are sinful men, and that which we complain of is the just punishment of our sins; nay, it is far less than our iniquities have deserved. We have little reason to complain of our trouble, for it is our own doing; we may thank ourselves. Our own wickedness corrects us, Pr 19:3. We have no reason to quarrel with God, for he is righteous in it; he is the governor of the world, and it is necessary that he should maintain the honour of his government by chastising the disobedient. Are we suffering for our sins? Then let us not complain; for we have other work to do; instead of repining, we must be repenting; and, as an evidence that God is reconciled to us, we must be endeavouring to reconcile ourselves to his holy will. Are we punished for our sins? It is our wisdom then to submit, and to kiss the rod; for, if we still walk contrary to God, he will punish us yet seven times more; for when he judges he will overcome. But, if we accommodate ourselves to him, though we be chastened of the Lord we shall not be condemned with the world.
III. We must set ourselves to answer God's intention in afflicting us, which is to bring sin to our remembrance, and to bring us home to himself, La 3:40. These are the two things which our afflictions should put us upon. 1. A serious consideration of ourselves and a reflection upon our past lives. Let us search and try our ways, search what they have been, and then try whether they have been right and good or no; search as for a malefactor in disguise, that flees and hides himself, and then try whether guilty or not guilty. Let conscience be employed both to search and to try, and let it have leave to deal faithfully, to accomplish a diligent search and to make an impartial trial. Let us try our ways, that by them we may try ourselves, for we are to judge of our state not by our faint wishes, but by our steps, not by one particular step, but by our ways, the ends we aim at, the rules we go by, and the agreeableness of the temper of our minds and the tenour of our lives to those ends and those rules. When we are in affliction it is seasonable to consider our ways (Hag 1:5), that what is amiss may be repented of and amended for the future, and so we may answer the intention of the affliction. We are apt, in times of public calamity, to reflect upon other people's ways, and lay blame upon them; whereas our business is to search and try our own ways. We have work enough to do at home; we must each of us say, "What have I done? What have I contributed to the public flames?" that we may each of us mend one, and then we should all be mended. 2. A sincere conversion to God: "Let us turn again to the Lord, to him who is turned against us and whom we have turned from; to him let us turn by repentance and reformation, as to our owner and ruler. We have been with him, and it has never been well with us since we forsook him; let us therefore now turn again to him." This must accompany the former and be the fruit of it; therefore we must search and try our ways, that we may turn from the evil of them to God. This was the method David took. Ps 119:59, I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
IV. We must offer up ourselves to God, and our best affections and services, in the flames of devotion, La 3:41. When we are in affliction, 1. We must look up to God as a God in the heavens, infinitely above us, and who has an incontestable dominion over us; for the heavens do rule, and are therefore not to be quarrelled with, but submitted to. 2. We must pray to him, with a believing expectation to receive mercy from him; for that is implied in our lifting up our hands to him (a gesture commonly used in prayer and sometimes put for it, as Ps 141:2, Let the lifting up of my hands be as the evening sacrifice); it signifies our requesting mercy from him and our readiness to receive that mercy. (3.) Our hearts must go along with our prayers. We must lift up our hearts with our hands, as we must pour out our souls with our words. It is the heart that God looks at in that and every other service; for what will a sacrifice without a heart avail? If inward impressions be not in some measure answerable to outward expressions, we do but mock God and deceive ourselves. Praying is lifting up the soul to God (Ps 25:1) as to our Father in heaven; and the soul that hopes to be with God in heaven for ever will thus, by frequent acts of devotion, be still learning the way thither and pressing forward in that way.
42-54
Complaining to God (588 BC)
繁體中文
向神傾訴苦情（主前588年）
⁴² 我們犯罪了，我們悖逆了；你並不赦免。
⁴³ 你以怒氣遮蔽自己，追逼我們；你殺戮了，並不顧惜。
⁴⁴ 你以雲遮蔽自己，以致我們的禱告不能透過。
⁴⁵ 你使我們在萬民中成為渣滓和垃圾。
⁴⁶ 我們的一切仇敵都向我們張口。
⁴⁷ 恐懼和陷阱臨到我們，荒涼和毀滅。
⁴⁸ 因我百姓女兒的毀滅，我的眼淚如江河下垂。
⁴⁹ 我的眼涓涓流下，不止息，不間斷，
⁵⁰ 直到耶和華從天上垂看鑒察。
⁵¹ 因我城的一切女兒，我的眼使我的心傷痛。
⁵² 我的仇敵無故地如追趕雀鳥般追逼我。
⁵³ 他們在坑中斷絕我的性命，又向我扔石頭。
⁵⁴ 眾水流過我頭；我就說：我被剪除了。
責備自己發怨言容易，使自己不再發怨言卻難。先知已承認活人不當發怨言，似乎糾正了自己在本章前半部的苦情；然而此處雨後雲彩返回，傷口重新流血；因為對一個煩躁的心靈，要使之恢復平靜，需要下大工夫。
一、他們承認神使他們受苦是公義的（La 3:42）：*我們犯罪了，我們悖逆了。*注意，我們在患難中當稱義神，承認自己的罪，將重擔歸於自己。稱罪為罪過，稱它為悖逆，你並沒有錯稱它。這是他們考查試驗自己道路的結果；越查越發現其中的惡。然而，
二、他們抱怨他們所處的苦難，不無對神的影射——這是我們不當效法的，在最嚴厲的試煉中，我們總當對祂存高超、仁善的思想和言語。
1. 他們抱怨祂的皺眉和不悅他們的記號。他們的罪已經悔改，然而（La 3:42）：*你並不赦免。*他們沒有赦免的確據和安慰；因罪而加於他們的審判尚未撤去，所以他們以為不能說罪已得赦——這是錯誤，卻是神的百姓在靈裡消沉不安時常犯的錯誤。他們的景況實在可憐，卻抱怨說：*你並不顧惜，*La 3:43。他們的仇敵追逼殺戮他們，但那還不是最糟的；他們不過是神手中的器皿：你追逼我們，你殺戮了我們，雖然我們本盼望你保護拯救。他們抱怨他們與神之間有隔斷的牆，（一）這攔阻了神的恩惠臨到他們。神向他們恩慈的反照從前是以色列的華美；但如今你以怒氣遮蔽我們，以致我們的榮耀隱藏逝去了；如今神向我們發怒，我們不再顯為從前所被認為的那輝煌百姓了。或者，*你遮蔽我們，*如同被埋葬的人被遮蓋、被遺忘。（二）這攔阻了他們的禱告上達於神（La 3:44）：*你以雲遮蔽自己，*不像祂佔據聖殿時那朵明亮的雲——那使敬拜者能以就近，而是像祂降臨西奈山時的雲——那使百姓不得不遠遠站立。*這雲如此厚，以致我們的禱告似乎在其中消失了；不能透過；*我們得不著垂聽。注意，患難的拖延有時是一種試探，甚至對禱告的人也是如此，使他們懷疑神是否正如他們一向所信的那樣，是垂聽禱告的神。
2. 他們抱怨鄰舍的藐視以及他們所受的羞辱和恥辱（La 3:45）：你使我們如同打穥場上的渣滓，被扔到糞堆。保羅在論到使徒所受的苦難時引用了這話，1Co 4:13：我們被算為世上的污穢，萬物的渣滓。「我們成了萬民中間的垃圾，或渣滓，被人人踐踏，被看為列國中最卑賤的，除了像失了味的鹽一般被扔出去之外別無用處。我們的仇敵都向我們張口（La 3:46），*如吼叫的獅子張口要吞吃我們，或向我們作鬼臉，或肆意隨意論斷我們。」這些抱怨我們從前已有，La 2:15,16。注意，卑鄙惡毒的人攻擊、踐踏那些從尊榮的高處墜入苦難深處的人，這是常見的。但這是他們因罪自招的。他們若不使自己卑賤，仇敵也不能使他們如此：但因此人稱他們為被棄的銀子，因為耶和華已經棄絕了他們——*因為他們棄絕了祂。
3. 他們抱怨仇敵對他們所作可悲的毀壞（La 3:47）：恐懼和陷阱臨到我們；仇敵不僅以這些驚嚇威嚇我們，更以他們的計謀勝過我們，以所設的埋伏突襲我們；隨後只是荒涼和毀滅，是我百姓女兒的毀滅（La 3:48），是我城一切女兒的毀滅，La 3:51。仇敵既如雀鳥落入網羅般捉住了他們中間的一些人，又如猛禽追趕無害之鳥一般追趕別人（La 3:52）：我的仇敵如追趕雀鳥般追逼我，那雀鳥被從一叢灌木趕到另一叢，如同掃羅追趕大衛如同追趕山鷓鶉。他們逼迫者的仇恨如此頑強，卻是無緣無故的。他們所作的是無故的，沒有給過他們任何挑釁。神雖公義，他們卻不義。大衛常抱怨那些無故恨他的人；基督和祂教會的仇敵也是如此，Joh 15:25。他們的仇敵追趕他們，直到完全勝過他們（La 3:53）：他們在坑中斷絕我的性命。他們把俘虜關在幽暗的監獄裡，在那裡如同從活人之地被剪除（如La 3:6），或者國家社稷沉淪傾覆，它們的生命和存在消逝，如同被扔入坑中或墳墓，並有石頭扔在他們身上，如同素常滾到墓門的石頭。他們把猶太民族看作已死已葬，想像它沒有復甦的可能。以西結在異象中所見的就是如此，一個滿了枯乾骸骨的山谷。他們的毀壞不僅比作埋葬死人，更比作活人沉入水中——在那裡不能久為活人，La 3:54。患難的眾水流過我頭。洪水得勢，完全淹沒他們。迦勒底的軍隊如水沖破般攻入，水漲到*流過他們頭頂；*他們不能涉水，不能游水，所以必無可避免地沉沒。注意，神百姓的苦難有時勝過他們到如此地步，以致他們不能為信心找到立足之地，也不能帶著任何舒適的期望保持頭在水面上。
4. 他們抱怨自己因此過度憂傷和恐懼。（一）受苦的教會淚流成河，先知也為她如此（La 3:48,49）：*我的眼淚如江河下垂，*他們的哭泣如此豐盛；*它涓涓流下，不止息，他們的哭泣如此不斷，不加間斷，*因為他們的苦難沒有鬆懈。病情持續在極限，他們沒有好轉的日子。又加上（La 3:51）：我的眼使我的心傷痛。我的看見的眼使我的心傷痛。我越觀看城和國的荒涫，就越發憂傷。我無論向哪裡看，都看見那重新惹起我憂愁的，就是因我城的一切女兒，*就是作為母城耶路撒冷之女兒的一切鄰近城鎮。或者，*我的哭泣的眼使我的心傷痛；*憂傷的發洩非但沒有減輕它，反而加增並激化了它。或者，*我的眼融化我的靈魂；我簡直把自己的精神都哭掉了；不僅我的眼因憂傷而消毀，我的靈魂和我的生命也為之耗盡，Ps 31:9,10。巨大而長久的憂傷耗盡精神，不僅使人白頭，也使許多人青頭就歸於墳墓。先知說，我哭泣，比我城的一切女兒更多（旁註如此讀）；他在憂傷的表達上勝過了那些性別溫柔的人。多為罪人的罪和聖徒的受苦而流淚，對任何人都不算貶損；我們的主耶穌也是如此；因為祂臨近時，看見這同一座城就為它哀哭，*耶路撒冷的眾女兒卻沒有。（二）她被恐懼淹沒，不僅為已有的憂傷，更怕更糟的，放棄了一切（La 3:54）：*那時我說：我被剪除了，*毀滅了，看不見恢復的指望；我如同死人。注意，那些被擊倒的人常受試探以為自己被撇棄，Ps 31:22，Jon 2:4。
5. 在這些悲哀的苦情中有一句安慰的話，藉此可以看出他們的景況並不像他們所以為的那樣糟，La 3:50。我們繼續如此哭泣，直到耶和華從天上垂看鑒察。這暗示，（一）他們確信神在他們苦難中恩慈的眷顧必是對他們一切苦情的有效救濟。「如今以雲遮蔽自己、似乎不理會我們苦難的神（Job 22:13），若肯彰顯，一切就都好了；祂若看我們，我們就要得救，」Ps 80:19，Da 9:17。景況雖壞，天上一個恩待的目光必使之全歸妥當。（二）他們有盼望祂終必恩慈地看顧他們、救助他們；不，他們以此為理所當然：「祂雖然長久爭辯，卻不永遠爭辯，雖然我們應得祂如此。」（三）他們繼續哭泣時也繼續等候，既不、也不願從別處期望救助和救援，除了祂；除了祂施恩的回轉，沒有甚麼能安慰他們，除了祂垂看之外，沒有甚麼能擦乾他們的眼淚。他們如今淚水下流的眼仍要*仰望耶和華他們的神，直到祂憐憫他們，*Ps 123:2。
英文原文
Complaining to God (588 BC)
⁴² We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
⁴³ Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
⁴⁴ Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
⁴⁵ Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
⁴⁶ All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
⁴⁷ Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
⁴⁸ Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
⁴⁹ Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
⁵⁰ Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
⁵¹ Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
⁵² Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
⁵³ They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
⁵⁴ Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
It is easier to chide ourselves for complaining than to chide ourselves out of it. The prophet had owned that a living man should not complain, as if he checked himself for his complaints in the former part of the chapter; and yet here the clouds return after the rain and the wound bleeds afresh; for great pains must be taken with a troubled spirit to bring it into temper.
I. They confess the righteousness of God in afflicting them (La 3:42): We have transgressed and have rebelled. Note, It becomes us, when we are in trouble, to justify God, by owning our sins, and laying the load upon ourselves for them. Call sin a transgression, call it a rebellion, and you do not miscall it. This is the result of their searching and trying their ways; the more they enquired into them the worse they found them. Yet,
II. They complain of the afflictions they are under, not without some reflections upon God, which we are not to imitate, but, under the sharpest trials, must always think and speak highly and kindly of him.
1. They complain of his frowns and the tokens of his displeasure against them. Their sins were repented of, and yet (La 3:42), Thou hast not pardoned. They had not the assurance and comfort of the pardon; the judgments brought upon them for their sins were not removed, and therefore they thought they could not say the sin was pardoned, which was a mistake, but a common mistake with the people of God when their souls are cast down and disquieted within them. Their case was really pitiable, yet they complain, Thou hast not pitied, La 3:43. Their enemies persecuted and slew them, but that was not the worst of it; they were but the instruments in God's hand: "Thou hast persecuted us, and thou hast slain us, though we expected thou wouldst protect and deliver us." They complain that there was a wall of partition between them and God, and, (1.) This hindered God's favours from coming down upon them. The reflected beams of God's kindness to them used to be the beauty of Israel; but now "thou hast covered us with anger, so that our glory is concealed and gone; now God is angry with us, and we do not appear that illustrious people that we have formerly been thought to be." Or, "Thou hast covered us up as men that are buried are covered up and forgotten." (2.) It hindered their prayers from coming up unto God (La 3:44): "Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud," not like that bright cloud in which he took possession of the temple, which enabled the worshippers to draw near to him, but like that in which he came down upon Mount Sinai, which obliged the people to stand at a distance. "This cloud is so thick that our prayers seem as if they were lost in it; they cannot pass through; we cannot obtain an audience." Note, The prolonging of troubles is sometimes a temptation, even to praying people, to question whether God be what they have always believed him to be, a prayer-hearing God.
2. They complain of the contempt of their neighbours and the reproach and ignominy they were under (La 3:45): "Thou hast made us as the off-scouring, or scrapings, of the first floor, which are thrown to the dunghill." This St. Paul refers to in his account of the sufferings of the apostles. 1Co 4:13, We are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things. "We are the refuse, or dross, in the midst of the people, trodden upon by every body, and looked upon as the vilest of the nations, and good for nothing but to be cast out as salt which has lost its savour. Our enemies have opened their mouths against us (La 3:46), have gaped upon us as roaring lions, to swallow us up, or made mouths at us, or have taken liberty to say what they please of us." These complaints we had before, La 2:15,16. Note, It is common for base and ill-natured men to run upon, and run down, those that have fallen into the depths of distress from the height of honour. But this they brought upon themselves by sin. If they had not made themselves vile, their enemies could not have made them so: but therefore men call them reprobate silver, because the Lord has rejected them for rejecting him.
3. They complain of the lamentable destruction that their enemies made of them (La 3:47): Fear and a snare have come upon us; the enemies have not only terrified us with those alarms, but prevailed against us by their stratagems, and surprised us with the ambushes they laid for us; and then follows nothing but desolation and destruction, the destruction of the daughter of my people (La 3:48), of all the daughters of my city, La 3:51. The enemies, having taken some of them like a bird in a snare, chased others as a harmless bird is chased by a bird of prey (La 3:52): My enemies chased me sorely like a bird which is beaten from bush to bush, as Saul hunted David like a partridge. Thus restless was the enmity of their persecutors, and yet causeless. They have done it without cause, without any provocation given them. Though God was righteous, they were unrighteous. David often complains of those that hated him without cause; and such are the enemies of Christ and his church, Joh 15:25. Their enemies chased them till they had quite prevailed over them (La 3:53): They have cut off my life in the dungeon. They have shut up their captives in close and dark prisons, where they are as it were cut off from the land of the living (as La 3:6), or the state and kingdom are sunk and ruined, the life and being of them are gone, and they are as it were thrown into the dungeon or grave and a stone cast upon them, such as used to be rolled to the door of the sepulchres. They look upon the Jewish nation as dead and buried, and imagine that there is not possibility of its resurrection. Thus Ezekiel saw it, in vision, a valley full of dead and dry bones. Their destruction is compared not only to the burying of a dead man, but to the sinking of a living man into the water, who cannot long be a living man there, La 3:54. Waters of affliction flowed over my head. The deluge prevailed and quite overwhelmed them. The Chaldean forces broke in upon them as the breaking forth of waters, which rose so high as to flow over their heads; they could not wade, they could not swim, and therefore must unavoidably sink. Note, The distresses of God's people sometimes prevail to such a degree that they cannot find any footing for their faith, nor keep their head above water, with any comfortable expectation.
4. They complain of their own excessive grief and fear upon this account. (1.) The afflicted church is drowned in tears, and the prophet for her (La 3:48,49): My eye runs down with rivers of water, so abundant was their weeping; it trickles down and ceases not, so constant was their weeping, without any intermission, there being no relaxation of their miseries. The distemper was in continual extremity, and they had no better day. It is added (La 3:51), "My eye affects my heart. My seeing eye affects my heart. The more I look upon the desolation of the city and country the more I am grieved. Which way soever I cast my eye, I see that which renews my sorrow, even because of all the daughters of my city," all the neighbouring towns, which were as daughters to Jerusalem the mother-city. Or, My weeping eye affects my heart; the venting of the grief, instead of easing it, did but increase and exasperate it. Or, My eye melts my soul; I have quite wept away my spirits; not only my eye is consumed with grief, but my soul and my life are spent with it, Ps 31:9,10. Great and long grief exhausts the spirits, and brings not only many a gray head, but many a green head too, to the grave. I weep, ways the prophet, more than all the daughters of my city (so the margin reads it); he outdid even those of the tender sex in the expressions of grief. And it is no diminution to any to be much in tears for the sins of sinners and the sufferings of saints; our Lord Jesus was so; for, when he came near, he beheld this same city and wept over it, which the daughters of Jerusalem did not. (2.) She is overwhelmed with fears, not only grieves for what is, but fears worse, and gives up all for gone (La 3:54): "Then I said, I am cut off, ruined, and see no hope of recovery; I am as one dead." Note, Those that are cast down are commonly tempted to think themselves cast off, Ps 31:22, Jon 2:4.
5. In the midst of these sad complaints here is one word of comfort, by which it appears that their case was not altogether so bad as they made it, La 3:50. We continue thus weeping till the Lord look down and behold from heaven. This intimates, (1.) That they were satisfied that God's gracious regard to them in their miseries would be an effectual redress of all their grievances. "If God, who now covers himself with a cloud, as if he took no notice of our troubles (Job 22:13), would but shine forth, all would be well; if he look upon us, we shall be saved," Ps 80:19, Da 9:17. Bad as the case is, one favourable look from heaven will set all to rights. (2.) That they had hopes that he would at length look graciously upon them and relieve them; nay, they take it for granted that he will: "Though he contend long, he will not contend for ever, thou we deserve that he should." (3.) That while they continued weeping they continued waiting, and neither did nor would expect relief and succour from any hand but his; nothing shall comfort them but his gracious returns, nor shall any thing wipe tears from their eyes till he look down. Their eyes, which now run down with water, shall still wait upon the Lord their God until he have mercy upon them, Ps 123:2.
55-66
God's Goodness Acknowledged; An Appeal to God (588 BC)
繁體中文
承認神的良善；向神上訴（主前588年）
⁵⁵ 耶和華啊，我從極深的坑中求告你的名。
⁵⁶ 你曾聽見我的聲音；求你不要掩耳不聽我的呼吸、我的呼求。
⁵⁷ 我呼求的日子，你臨近我，說：不要懼怕。
⁵⁸ 主啊，你伸明了我性命的冤；你救贖了我的命。
⁵⁹ 耶和華啊，你看見了我所受的委屈；求你為我伸冤。
⁶⁰ 你看見了他們一切報復和一切謀害我的計謀。
⁶¹ 耶和華啊，你聽見了他們的辱罵，和他們一切謀害我的計謀；
⁶² 那些起來攻擊我的人的嘴唇，和他們終日謀害我的計謀。
⁶³ 求你看他們的坐下和起來；我是他們的歌曲。
⁶⁴ 耶和華啊，求你按他們手所作的報應他們。
⁶⁵ 求你使心裡剛硬，將你的咒詛加給他們。
⁶⁶ 求你在怒中追逼他們，從耶和華的天之下除滅他們。
我們可以在全章中觀察到先知胸中感官與信心、懼怕與盼望之間的爭戰；他訴苦，然後安慰自己，卻又丟下安慰、回到苦情，如Ps 42:1-11。但正如在那裡，在這裡信心也得了最後的話，成為得勝者；因為在這些經文中他以一些安慰作結。在此他用兩件事安慰自己：
一、他在苦難中經歷了神的良善。這可能指先知個人的經歷，他以此激勵自己面對公眾的患難。那位適時救助個別聖徒的，也不會在教會整體上失敗。或者可能包括猶太人中間那些敬虔人的餘民，他們發現等候神並不徒然。先知和他敬虔的朋友們在三件事上發現神向他們是好的：1. 祂聽了他們的禱告；雖然他們曾擔心那忿怒之雲如此厚、他們的禱告不能透過（La 3:44），但經過再思，或至少經過進一步的試驗，他們發現並非如此，神沒有對他們說：你們尋求我是徒然的。當他們在極深的坑中，如同死人中的自由人時，他們求告神的名（La 3:55）；他們的哭泣沒有妨礙禱告。注意，我們雖然被投入極深的坑中，卻可以從那裡找到一條通往至高天神的途徑。我從深處向你求告（Ps 130:1），如同約拿從魚腹之中。神能聽見他們從極深坑中的呼求，祂肯麼？是的，祂確實聽見了：*你曾聽見我的聲音；*有人將接下來的話讀作延續同樣的感恩：*你沒有掩耳不聽我的呼吸、我的呼求；原文也容許那樣讀。我們將之讀作進一步垂聽的祈求：求你不要掩耳不聽。神既在我們呼求時聽了我們的聲音，甚至從極深的坑中，就是鼓勵我們盼望祂隨時不掩耳。當注意他如何稱禱告為他的呼吸；因為我們在禱告中向神呼吸、切慕祂。我們在禱告中雖然軟弱、不能大聲呼求，只能以說不出來的歎息呼吸，*我們若真誠，就不被忽略。禱告是新人的呼吸，在祈求中吸入恩典之氣、在讚美中呼出，這既是屬靈生命的證據，也是它的維持。有人讀作，在我的喘息中。「當我喘息求生、快要斷氣、以為自己在呼最後一口氣時，你那時察看了我的困境。」2. 祂平息了他們的恐懼、安撫了他們的心靈（La 3:57）：*我呼求的日子，你臨近我；*你恩慈地向我保證你與我同在，讓我看見你親近我，而我原以為你離我甚遠。注意，當我們以本分親近神時，可以憑信心看見祂以恩典親近我們。但不僅如此：*你說：不要懼怕。*這是神的先知向他們傳講不要懼怕的話語（Isa 41:10,13,14），是祂護理預防了他們所懼怕的事，是祂恩典藉著祂的靈與他們的靈同證他們仍是祂的百姓——雖在患難中——所以不當懼怕，以此安撫他們的心、使他們安穩。3. 祂已開始為他們出頭（La 3:58）：主啊，你伸明了我性命的冤（如下文所說），*你救贖了我的命，從那些要奪去它的人手中救出來，在它快要被吞滅時拯救了它，把它賜給我為掠物。你救了我的命免於死亡，所以也必救我的腳免於跌倒；你已伸明我性命的冤，*所以也必伸明我別的冤屈。
二、他以向神的公義上訴——以及（為求判定）向祂的全知——來安慰自己。
1. 他向神對事實的知識上訴：他的仇敵何等惡毒、充滿惡意（La 3:59）：*耶和華啊，你看見了我所受的委屈，就是我毫無過犯，卻受了许多苦。那知道一切的主知道，（一）他們對他的惡意：你看見了他們一切報復，他們如何想要害我，如同為我曾加給他們的大傷害而報復。注意，我們當存敬畏和謹慎的心想到：神知道我們心中對別人一切的報復念頭，所以我們不可放縱、不可懷藏那些念頭；神也知道別人無緣無故對我們懷的一切報復念頭，所以我們不當懼怕，只當交託祂保護我們。（二）他們為害他所設計的計謀：你看見了他們一切謀害我的計謀（La 3:60），又：你聽見了他們一切謀害我的計謀（La 3:61），他們要毀滅我的慾望和計謀；無論言語或行為上顯出的，你都知道；不，那些雖然不能看見聽見的，他們終日謀害我的計謀，也被那萬物在祂面前都是赤露敞開的主所察覺明白。注意，教會仇敵最隱密的計謀，教會的神完全知道，他們在祂面前不能隱藏甚麼。（三）他們加在他身上的藐視和誣衊，一切他們輕看他、毀謗他的話：你聽見了他們的辱罵（La 3:61），他們加給我的一切惡名，以我不知道的事控告我，他們用以使我可憎可鄙的一切手段，甚至那些起來攻擊我的人的嘴唇（La 3:62），他們每逢提到我時所用的辱罵言辭，而且在他們坐下和起來時、在他們夜間躺臥和早晨起來時、在他們坐下用膳和會客時、在他們從這些事起來時，我仍是他們的歌曲；他們以我的苦難自娛、彼此取樂，如同非利士人參孫取樂。耶路撒冷是他們彈奏的鼓。他們或許有某首曲子或劇目、某齣歌劇或插劇，名叫耶路撒冷的毀滅，*這雖是悲劇性質，對那些對聖城懷惡意的人卻甚具娛樂性。注意，神有一日必因罪人所說一切頂撞祂和祂百姓的剛愎話語追討他們，Jude 1:15。
2. 他向神對這事實的判斷上訴：*主啊，你看見了我所受的委屈；*不需要任何證據來證明，也不需要任何控訴者來強調加重；你看見它的真相；如今我將之交託你。*求你為我伸冤，*La 3:59。願他們受判，（一）照他們所應得的（La 3:64）：*求你按他們手所作的報應他們。*願他們受對待如他們待我們一樣；願你的手攻擊他們，如他們的手攻擊我們。他們給我們造成許多煩擾；如今，主啊，求你使他們心裡剛硬（La 3:65），心裡困惑（有人如此讀）；讓他們四圍受威脅之災的包圍，看不出出路。求你使他們心裡絕望（另有人如此讀）；讓他們被逼至絕望，放棄一切。神能使自以為最清醒的頭腦陷入混亂，使自以為最堅強的心沉淪。（二）願他們照著警告受對待：*將你的咒詛加給他們；*就是說，願你的咒詛臨到他們——你話語中向你自己百姓的仇敵所宣告的一切災禍，La 3:65。他們以咒詛加我們；他們怎樣愛咒詛，就讓咒詛臨到他們，你的咒詛必使他們真正悲慘。他們的是無故的，所以是徒然的，不能臨到；你的是公義的，必生效。你所咒詛的，實在是被咒詛的。願咒詛執行，La 3:66。*求你在怒中追逼他們，如同他們在怒中追逼毀滅我們。從耶和華的天之下除滅他們；讓他們得不著天之光芒和影響的益處。如此除滅他們，以致凡看見的都說：這是出自全能者的毀滅——祂坐在天上向他們發笑（Ps 2:4）——並承認天確實掌權，*Da 4:26。論到偶像的話在此也論到它們的崇拜者（他們在這方面也必與偶像相似）：他們必從這些天之下滅亡，Jer 10:11。他們必不僅被排除於那不可見之天的福樂之外，更被剪除於這些可見之天的安慰之外——這些是耶和華的天（Ps 115:16），所以那些背叛祂的人不配得蒙其保護。
英文原文
God's Goodness Acknowledged; An Appeal to God (588 BC)
⁵⁵ I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
⁵⁶ Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
⁵⁷ Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
⁵⁸ O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
⁵⁹ O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
⁶⁰ Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
⁶¹ Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;
⁶² The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
⁶³ Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their music.
⁶⁴ Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
⁶⁵ Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
⁶⁶ Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.
We may observe throughout this chapter a struggle in the prophet's breast between sense and faith, fear and hope; he complains and then comforts himself, yet drops his comforts and returns again to his complaints, as Ps 42:1-11. But, as there, so here, faith gets the last word and comes off a conqueror; for in these verses he concludes with some comfort. And here are two things with which he comforts himself:—
I. His experience of God's goodness even in his affliction. This may refer to the prophet's personal experience, with which he encourages himself in reference to the public troubles. He that has seasonably succoured particular saints will not fail the church in general. Or it may include the remnant of good people that were among the Jews, who had found that it was not in vain to wait upon God. In three things the prophet and his pious friends had found God good to them:—1. He had heard their prayers; though they had been ready to fear that the cloud of wrath was such as their prayers could not pass through (La 3:44), yet upon second thoughts, or at least upon further trial, they find it otherwise, and that God had not said unto them, Seek you me in vain. When they were in the low dungeon, as free among the dead, they called upon God's name (La 3:55); their weeping did not hinder praying. Note, Though we are cast into ever so low a dungeon, we may thence find a way of access to God in the highest heavens. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee (Ps 130:1), as Jonah out of the whale's belly. And could God hear them out of the low dungeon, and would he? Yes, he did: Thou hast heard my voice; and some read the following words as carrying on the same thankful acknowledgment: Thou didst not hide thy ear at my breathing, at my cry; and the original will bear that reading. We read it as a petition for further audience: Hide not thy ear. God's having heard our voice when we cried to him, even out of the low dungeon, is an encouragement for us to hope that he will not at any time hide his ear. Observe how he calls prayer his breathing; for in prayer we breathe towards God, we breathe after him. Though we be but weak in prayer, cannot cry aloud, but only breathe in groanings that cannot be uttered, yet we shall not be neglected if we be sincere. Prayer is the breath of the new man, sucking in the air of mercy in petitions and returning it in praises; it is both the evidence and the maintenance of the spiritual life. Some read it, at my gasping. "When I lay gasping for life, and ready to expire, and thought i was breathing my last, then thou tookest cognizance of my distressed case." 2. He had silenced their fears and quieted their spirits (La 3:57): "Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee; thou didst graciously assure me of thy presence with me, and give me to see thee nigh unto me, whereas I had thought thee to be at a distance from me." Note, When we draw nigh to God in a way of duty we may by faith see him drawing nigh to us in a way of mercy. But this was not all: Thou saidst, Fear not. This was the language of God's prophets preaching to them not to fear (Isa 41:10,13,14), of his providence preventing those things which they were afraid of, and of his grace quieting their minds, and making them easy, by the witness of his Spirit with their spirits that they were his people still, though in distress, and therefore ought not to fear. 3. He had already begun to appear for them (La 3:58): "O Lord! thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul" (that is, as it follows), "thou hast redeemed my life, hast rescued that out of the hands of those who would have taken it away, hast saved that when it was ready to be swallowed up, hast given me that for a prey." And this is an encouragement to them to hope that he would yet further appear for them: "Thou hast delivered my soul from death, and therefore wilt deliver my feet from falling; thou hast pleaded the causes of my life, and therefore wilt plead my other causes."
II. He comforts himself with an appeal to God's justice, and (in order to the sentence of that) to his omniscience.
1. He appeals to God's knowledge of the matter of fact, how very spiteful and malicious his enemies were (La 3:59): "O Lord! thou hast seen my wrong, that I have done no wrong at all, but suffer a great deal." He that knows all things knew, (1.) The malice they had against him: "Thou hast seen all their vengeance, how they desire to do me a mischief, as if it were by way of reprisal for some great injury I had done them." Note, We should consider, to our terror and caution, that God knows all the revengeful thoughts we have in our minds against others, and therefore we should not allow of those thoughts nor harbour them, and that he knows all the revengeful thoughts others have causelessly in their minds against us, and therefore we should not be afraid of them, but leave it to him to protect us from them. (2.) The designs and projects they had laid to do him a mischief: Thou hast seen all their imaginations against me (La 3:60), and again, "Thou hast heard all their imaginations against me (La 3:61), both the desire and the device they have to ruin me; whether it show itself in word or deed, it is known to thee; nay, though the products of it are not to be seen nor heard, yet their device against me all the day is perceived and understood by him to whom all things are naked and open." Note, The most secret contrivances of the church's enemies are perfectly known to the church's God, from whom they can hide nothing. (3.) The contempt and calumny wherewith they loaded him, all that they spoke slightly of him, and all that they spoke reproachfully: "Thou hast heard their reproach (La 3:61), all the bad characters they give me, laying to my charge things that I know not, all the methods they use to make me odious and contemptible, even the lips of those that rose up against me (La 3:62), the contumelious language they use whenever they speak of me, and that at their sitting down and rising up, when they lie down at night and get up in the morning, when they sit down to their meat and with their company, and when they rise from both, still I am their music; they make themselves and one another merry with my miseries, as the Philistines made sport with Samson." Jerusalem was the tabret they played upon. Perhaps they had some tune or play, some opera or interlude, that was called the destruction of Jerusalem, which, though in the nature of a tragedy, was very entertaining to those who wished ill to the holy city. Note, God will one day call sinners to account for all the hard speeches which they have spoken against him and his people, Jude 1:15.
2. He appeals to God's judgment upon this fact: "Lord, thou hast seen my wrong; there is no need of any evidence to prove it, nor any prosecutor to enforce and aggravate it; thou seest it in its true colours; and now I leave it with thee. Judge thou my cause, La 3:59. Let them be dealt with," (1.) "As they deserve (La 3:64): Render to them a recompence according to the work of their hands. Let them be dealt with as they have dealt with us; let thy hand be against them as their hand has been against us. They have created us a great deal of vexation; now, Lord, give them sorrow of heart (La 3:65), perplexity of heart" (so some read it); "let them be surrounded with threatening mischiefs on all sides, and not be able to see their way out. Give them despondence of heart" (so others read it); "let them be driven to despair, and give themselves up for gone." God can entangle the head that thinks itself clearest, and sink the heart that thinks itself stoutest. (2.) "Let them be dealt with according to the threatenings: Thy curse unto them; that is, let thy curse come upon them, all the evils that are pronounced in thy word against the enemies of thy people, La 3:65. They have loaded us with curses; as they loved cursing, so let it come unto them, thy curse which will make them truly miserable. Theirs is causeless, and therefore fruitless, it shall not come; but thine is just, and shall take effect. Those whom thou cursest are cursed indeed. Let the curse be executed, La 3:66. Persecute and destroy them in anger, as they persecute and destroy us in their anger. Destroy them from under the heavens of the Lord; let them have no benefit of the light and influence of the heavens. Destroy them in such a manner that all who see it may say, It is a destruction from the Almighty, who sits in the heavens and laughs at them (Ps 2:4), and may own that the heavens do rule," Da 4:26. What is said of the idols is here said of their worshippers (who in this also shall be like unto them), They shall perish from under these heavens, Jer 10:11. They shall be not only excluded from the happiness of the invisible heavens, but cut off from the comfort even of these visible ones, which are the heavens of the Lord (Ps 115:16) and which those therefore are unworthy to be taken under the protection of who rebel against him.
本章的宗旨與前兩章相同，但結構略有不同；前兩章是長句體，本章是短句體，屬另一種格律；前兩章是單一字母詩，本章是三重字母詩。內容包括：一、對神的不悅及其果子之沉痛哀訴，La 3:1-20。二、神的百姓在患難困苦中的安慰之言，La 3:21-36。三、在此受苦境況中當盡的本分，La 3:37-41。四、哀訴重新發出，La 3:42-54。五、從盼望神並繼續等候祂的拯救中得著激勵，並就教會受逼迫之事向神的公義上訴，La 3:55-66。有人認為這一切都是先知本人被囚禁、受逼迫時所說的話；但看來更可能是以現今被擄、近乎荒涼的教會之身分說的，而先知特別關心這些荒涼之事。但這裡的哀訴比前一章更為籠統，既適用於公眾的情形，也適用於個人的處境，是為內室的使用而非為隆重集會的使用而設。有人認為耶利米發出這些哀訴，不僅是作為以色列的代求者，更是作為基督的預表——有人曾以為基督就是那流淚的先知耶利米，因為祂常常流淚（Mt 16:14），而這裡許多段落都可以應用到祂身上。