Lam 3:37 | KingComments | STEP | Jeremiah now deals in one long sentence ( ) with the objections of people to what he has just said. Also these three verses begin not only with the same letter, but also with the same word, the word “to” or “that”. This word is the introduction to the observation of some facts which the believer perceives and which he cannot reconcile with God’s goodness. Nor can he see causing grief as an evidence of His love. Someone may object: ‘It may be true that the LORD does not bring grief willingly, but what about the evils and troubles that people bring upon us?’ Surely, God’s people suffered greatly from the inhumane treatment of the Babylonians ( ). The enemy crushed them under his [not: His] feet. Added to this is the fact that they are burdened with utter lawlessness and are defrauded in lawsuit ( ). Justice is being bent, not caring that they are committing this injustice “in the presence of the Most High”. Why should they? The Most High does not seem to care. He does not intervene to punish this injustice. The doers of evil do not remember that He is omnipresent and that nothing is hidden from Him. This leads them not only to pervert the law, but to act in total contradiction to it. Those who stand in their right are proven wrong. The believers wonder if God even knows, if He sees, and if He still cares about them. Jeremiah responds to this with the question which is at the same time the answer, that the Lord certainly does see all evil. Nothing escapes Him, nor does He forget all the evil that has been and is being done. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” ( ). Here, asking the question is like answering it. Of course He does justice. There is no evil that happens on earth over which He would have lost control. Man has no power and evil does not have free rein to do what pleases them without the permission or direct will of God. He is “the Most High”, that is, He is above every conceivable power. He is “the Lord”, Adonai , which is the sovereign Ruler. underscore the omnipotent power of “the Lord”, which necessitates the acceptance of His will. When He speaks, something always happens, whether in view of creation ( ; ), or as here ( ) in view of the relationships among the people. Everything, both good and ill, comes from the hand of God ( ; ; ). No one can act in his own right. Each is dependent on Him. How, then, would God have no knowledge of what befalls them? Do they think this is beyond God’s control? “The Most High” is above all people and nations. Everything is under His authority. Kings may think that they govern everything, but they only do what He determines. The Most High has everything under His control. He determines whether trouble or peace should be sent, He decrees whether evil or good events or times are needed. What befell Israel came from God’s hand as punishment for their sins. What happens to us comes from Him and not from a stranger. That thought helps to find peace in the circumstances. Jeremiah rejects the objections with a question that is an answer ( ). No man who is alive has a reason to complain to God. The fact that he is alive is already a proof of God’s mercy. His power does not fall short. The only thing they (and we) may complain about is about their (our) sins, not about circumstances. To complain about our circumstances is to complain against and about God. These words are preparation for the next section.

‏ Lamentations 3:37

The Lord Sees Evil

Jeremiah now deals in one long sentence (Lam 3:34-36) with the objections of people to what he has just said. Also these three verses begin not only with the same letter, but also with the same word, the word “to” or “that”. This word is the introduction to the observation of some facts which the believer perceives and which he cannot reconcile with God’s goodness. Nor can he see causing grief as an evidence of His love.

Someone may object: ‘It may be true that the LORD does not bring grief willingly, but what about the evils and troubles that people bring upon us?’ Surely, God’s people suffered greatly from the inhumane treatment of the Babylonians (Lam 3:34). The enemy crushed them under his [not: His] feet.

Added to this is the fact that they are burdened with utter lawlessness and are defrauded in lawsuit (Lam 3:35-36). Justice is being bent, not caring that they are committing this injustice “in the presence of the Most High”. Why should they? The Most High does not seem to care. He does not intervene to punish this injustice.

The doers of evil do not remember that He is omnipresent and that nothing is hidden from Him. This leads them not only to pervert the law, but to act in total contradiction to it. Those who stand in their right are proven wrong. The believers wonder if God even knows, if He sees, and if He still cares about them.

Jeremiah responds to this with the question which is at the same time the answer, that the Lord certainly does see all evil. Nothing escapes Him, nor does He forget all the evil that has been and is being done. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” (Gen 18:25b). Here, asking the question is like answering it. Of course He does justice. There is no evil that happens on earth over which He would have lost control. Man has no power and evil does not have free rein to do what pleases them without the permission or direct will of God. He is “the Most High”, that is, He is above every conceivable power. He is “the Lord”, Adonai, which is the sovereign Ruler.

Lam 3:37-38 underscore the omnipotent power of “the Lord”, which necessitates the acceptance of His will. When He speaks, something always happens, whether in view of creation (Psa 33:9; Gen 1:3), or as here (Lam 3:37) in view of the relationships among the people. Everything, both good and ill, comes from the hand of God (Lam 3:38; Isa 45:7; Amos 3:6b). No one can act in his own right. Each is dependent on Him. How, then, would God have no knowledge of what befalls them? Do they think this is beyond God’s control?

“The Most High” is above all people and nations. Everything is under His authority. Kings may think that they govern everything, but they only do what He determines. The Most High has everything under His control. He determines whether trouble or peace should be sent, He decrees whether evil or good events or times are needed. What befell Israel came from God’s hand as punishment for their sins. What happens to us comes from Him and not from a stranger. That thought helps to find peace in the circumstances.

Jeremiah rejects the objections with a question that is an answer (Lam 3:39). No man who is alive has a reason to complain to God. The fact that he is alive is already a proof of God’s mercy. His power does not fall short. The only thing they (and we) may complain about is about their (our) sins, not about circumstances. To complain about our circumstances is to complain against and about God. These words are preparation for the next section.