Lamentations 3:58

Lam 3:58 O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.

Ver. 58. O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul.] Whereof those Babylonians were no just judges.

Thou hast redeemed my life.] It is the life, nay, the soul of the saints, that the wicked hunt after, though they do not always profess so to do.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3:58-66 Jerusalem deserved punishment, but the enemies carried it out with undeserved cruelty. The writer calls upon God to punish them.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Meaning, the cause wherefore his life was in danger.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Jeremiah cites God's gracious answers to his prayers as an encouragement to his fellow countrymen, to trust in Him.

pleaded-- (Psa 35:1; Mic 7:9).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For the same purpose he now says, that God had been his judge to undertake his cause, and not only once, for he had contended for him as though he had been his perpetual advocate. The meaning is, that the Prophet (who yet speaks in the name of all the faithful) had found God a defender and a helper, not only in one instance, but whenever he had been in trouble; for he uses the plural number, and says, Thou hast pleaded the pleadings of my soul

He adds, Thou hast redeemed my life. It is the way of God’s pleading when he delivers us as it were from death. Friends do, indeed, sometimes anxiously exert themselves, interposing for our defense, but they do not always succeed. But God is such a pleader of our cause, that he is also a deliverer, for our safety is in his hand. It follows, —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(58) Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul—i.e., Jehovah had appeared as the advocate, or next-of-kin protector, of the prophet in the persecutions which were aimed against his life. Another personal reference to the prophet’s sufferings. (Comp. Jer_26:8-17; Jer_37:14; Jer_38:4.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

58. thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul] The enemy are likened to opponents in a suit at law. The Lord has been the writer’s successful advocate against them. He is therefore invoked once again to defeat them.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Behold their sitting down, and their rising up,.... All their actions; the whole course of their lives; all which fell under the divine omniscience, Psa 139:2; but that is not barely here meant; but that he would take particular notice hereof, and punish for the same. It may have respect both to their lying down at night, and rising in the morning; and to their sitting down at meals, and rising from them; at which times they were always meditating mischief against the people of God, or speaking opprobriously of them; when they made sport of them, as follows:

I am their music; or "music maker" (z); as Samson was to the Philistines; the matter of their mirth; the subject of their song; and the object of their derision.

(z) "musicus", Gataker.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Thou hast been wont to take my part against my enemies, not like a lawyer by word of mouth, but actually and really pleading my cause. Thou hast redeemed my life; thou hast saved me from many a danger which looked fatally upon me.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Thou hast pleaded, etc. The reference is still to a former state of things which came to an end. It would make this plainer if we were to alter the rendering, Thou didst plead... thou didst redeem. The speaker likens his case to that of a poor man who is opposed at law by a rich oppressor, and who, for want of an advocate, will, to all appearance, become his victim. Suddenly Jehovah appeared and supplied this want. Such are God"s "wonders of old time."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

O Lord - Thou hast been wont to take my part against my enemies.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

redeemed

Heb. "goel," Redemp. (Kinsman type). (See Scofield "Isa 59:20") .

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

you defended my case, you saved my life

The author speaks of God keeping him from being killed by his enemies as if God had defended him in court as a lawyer defends someone, and kept him from being killed. AT: "you saved my life from my enemies. It is as though you defended me in court" (See: Metaphor)

you defended my case

Here "defended my case" represents arguing for him. AT: "you argued my case for me" (See: Metaphor)

judge my case

Here God is no longer pictured as a lawyer, but as the judge. It can be stated clearly that he wanted God to judge in his favor. AT: "make a decision about me, and show my enemies that I am right" (See: Metaphor and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

You have seen their insults, all their plots against me

The abstract nouns "insults" and "plots" can be expressed with verbs. AT: "You have seen how they have insulted me and how they have plotted against me many times" (See: Abstract Nouns)

You have heard their scorn ... and all their plans regarding me

The abstract noun "scorn" can be expressed with the verbs "taunt" or "mock." It can be stated clearly that the plans were to harm him. AT: "You heard how they have taunted me ... and all they plan to do to me" or "You have heard them mock me ... and plan ways to harm me" (See: Abstract Nouns)

translationWords

lord

trial

save

Yahweh

oppress

judge

avenge

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

You did plead my cause in days past.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.