Jeremiah 15:15-17

The Voice

The calling of God has left Jeremiah with a loneliness he can hardly bear. The words he must deliver, the sins he continually confronts, and the future God has revealed to him—they all lead to an unbearable isolation. God has heard the lonely cry of His prophet, and He has offered encouragement and a promise to strengthen Jeremiah. At this point, Jeremiah is enduring the pain with his assignment. In fact, in this agony, he openly questions and accuses God Himself.

¹⁵Jeremiah: O Eternal One—You know what I am facing;
    Remember me, and pay attention to my plight.
        Take my side; pay back those who persecute me.
    I know You are patient, but don’t let them take me away.
        Think of the suffering I’ve endured for Your sake.
¹⁶    When I discovered Your words, I ate them up:
        they were my great joy and my heart’s delight.
    I am Yours, and I bear the name of the Eternal God,
        Commander of heavenly armies.
¹⁷    I never sat in the circle of jokesters,
        nor did I celebrate with them.
    No. I stayed to myself, sat alone because Your hand was heavy on me;
        You filled me with indignation over their sins.