Lamentations 3:64

Lam 3:64 Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.

Ver. 64. Render unto them a recompense.] Call them to an account, and requite them. Let their music be marred, and the meal once ended, send them in a reckoning.

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.

Lam 3:64-66. Render to them a recompense, &c. — See note on Jer 11:20. The verbs in these verses are not in the imperative mood, but all in the future tense, and certainly should have been so rendered, as indeed they are by the LXX., Αποδωσεις αυτοις ανταποδομα Κυριε — Αποδωσεις αυτοις — και διας μου μοχθον. Συ αυτους καταδιωξεις εν οργη, και εξαναλωσεις αυτους υποκατωθεν του ουρανου Κυριε. Thou wilt render unto them a recompense, O Lord — Thou wilt render unto them the grief of my heart. Thou wilt persecute them in wrath, and destroy them from under the heaven, O Lord. Thus also the Vulgate, Blaney, and many others.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3:64-66 This prayer for vengeance is similar to several psalms (see “Prayers for Vengeance” Theme Note).

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

(Jer 11:20; Ti2 4:14).

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

He adds here a conclusion; for he has hitherto been relating, as I have said, the evils which he suffered, and also the reproaches and unjust oppressions, in order that; he might have God propitious to him; for this is the way of conciliating favor when we are wrongfully dealt with; for it cannot be but that God will sustain our cause. He indeed testifies that he is ready to help the miserable; it is his own peculiar work to deliver captives from prison, to illuminate the blind, to succor the miserable and the oppressed. This is the reason, then, why the Prophet now confidently asks God to render to his enemies their reward, according to the work of their hands

Were any one to object, and say, that another rule is prescribed to us, even to pray for our enemies, even when they oppress us; the answer is this, that the faithful, when they prayed thus, did not bring any violent feelings of their own, but pure zeal, and rightly formed; for the Prophet here did not pray for evil indiscriminately on all, but on the reprobate, who were perpetually the enemies of God and of his Church. He might then with sincerity of heart have asked God to render to them their just reward. And whenever the saints broke forth thus against their enemies, and asked God to become an avenger, this principle must be ever borne in mind, that they did not indulge their own wishes, but were so guided by the Holy Spirit — that moderation was connected with that fervid zeal to which I have referred. The Prophet, then, as he speaks here of the Chaldeans, confidently asked God to destroy them, as we shall again presently see. We find also in the Psalms the same imprecations, especially on Babylon, — “Happy he who shall render to thee what thou hast brought on us, who shall dash thy children against a stone.” (Psalm 137:8, 9.) 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.

(64) Render unto them . . .—The words are noticeable as being taken from Psa_28:4, and reproduced by St. Paul in 2Ti_4:14.

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

64–66. For the anticipation of punishment here expressed see on Jer_18:23; C.B. (Kirkpatrick) on Psa_28:4.

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.

These three last verses are all but the same general petition, though expressed in various phrases; the prophet had prayed, Lam 3:59, that God would judge his people’s cause, here he prayeth that he would also judge his enemies, he only desireth justice against them, a recompence of the work of their hands.

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

Render unto them, etc. The sacred poet is familiar with the psalms; here we have a condensation of Psa_28:4. The tone of vers. 64-66 reminds us of passages in the Book of Jeremiah; (see Jer_18:23 Jer_20:12)

Vers. 64-66. Righteous recompense.

Our conscience requires and approves of justice. Our weakness is too often in danger of cherishing resentment and malevolence. It is not safe, on most men"s part, to hope for retribution upon their personal enemies. Perhaps the record of Jeremiah"s feelings is not intended to be taken for an inculcation, or even a permission, of such imprecations upon our foes.

I THE GROUND UPON WHICH DIVINE JUDGMENT IS INVOKED.

1. It was not personal offence given which suggested such a cry for vengeance.

2. It was the overt, deliberate conduct of men who acted in disobedience and defiance towards God, and with inhumanity and barbarity towards their fellow men.

II THE TRIBUNAL TO WHICH THE CONDUCT OF THE WICKED IS REFERRED.

1. Not the fallible court of human justice or human requital.

2. But the court of Divine equity, in which none receives good for evil, in which every plea for mitigation of sentence is heard, and from which none can depart with a complaint upon the lips.

III THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH RETRIBUTION IS IMPLORED.

1. Not for the gratification of vindictive feelings.

2. Not for the exaltation of the oppressed at the expense of the oppressor.

3. But for the speedy deliverance of God"s wronged and harassed people.

4. For the advancement of God"s cause upon earth. For the honour of God"s glorious Name. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? T.

The principle of retribution.

Whatever the feelings in the prophet"s heart may have been, at all events he lays down something like a principle on which he expects God will act in dealing with the wicked. It is not because he hates them, or because they have hurt him, that he wants them to suffer, but because they have done wrong. Further, he wants to see them dealt with according to the wrong they have done. Perhaps we ought to look at this question of recompense apart from its being made a matter of prayer. One would not like to think of it as a desirable petition in any prayer, that the wicked might be dealt with according to their wickedness. God"s law will secure all that is necessary, and we may trust the working of that law. Men will be recompensed according to the work of their hand, only this expression, "the work of their hand," must be taken with a very liberal meaning. What the heart of the wicked purposes, his hand generally carries out to some extent, and yet many qualifications must be made. To go literally according to the work of the hand would be to deal too severely in some instances, too leniently in others. We have to infer the heart from the hand, and our calculation of motives is a very rough and ready one. Human law, trying to be just and adequate, is not unfrequently unjust and cruel. We are so under the influence of things seen and temporal that a punishment only looks real when we can see it in operation, manifest to all. Our confidence should rather be that God has so made things by their very nature that a wicked heart becomes a miserable one. Whatsoever a man sows, he reaps. But then there is also another thing to be considered, and that is that God makes room for repentance. He who sows repentance will reap forgiveness and renewal of heart. We cannot undo the works of our hands, but God can bring good out of evil. Y.

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

Pay back to them, Yahweh, according to what they have done

Here "Pay back to them" represents punishing them. What they have done can be stated clearly. AT: "Punish them, Yahweh, according to what they have done" or "Yahweh, they have made me suffer, so please make them suffer" (See: Metaphor and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

You will let their hearts be shameless

Here the "heart" is a metonym that represents their attitudes and emotions, and being "shameless" means not feeling ashamed of their sins even though they should. Their not being ashamed would give even more reason for God to punish them. AT: "You will let them feel no shame for their sins" (See: Metonymy)

May your condemnation be upon them

The abstract noun "condemnation" can be expressed with the verbs "condemn" or "curse." AT: "Condemn them" or "Curse them" (See: Abstract Nouns)

from under the heavens

Here "from under the heavens" represents everywhere on earth. AT: "wherever they are on earth" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

heart

condemn

heaven

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