Lecture 19

^1:20^ Res. Behold, O Lord, for I am in distress, my bowels are troubled: my heart is turned within me, for I am full of bitterness: without, the sword destroys, and at home, there is death alike.

20. Here he begins to complain to the judge himself; and concerning this, he does three things.

First, he exposes his own misery;

second, he denounces the fault of his enemies, at they have heard that I sigh (Lam 1:21);

third, he seeks vengeance, at let all their evil be present before you (Lam 1:22).

Concerning the first, he does three things.

First, he draws attention: behold, O Lord. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am afflicted (Ps 30:10).

Second, he presents his sorrow under the metaphor of internal pain and anguish of heart: troubled, which he explains: for I am full of bitterness. My bowels are in pain (Jer 4:19). For the Almighty has quite filled me with bitterness (Ruth 1:20).

Third, he gives the reason for this sorrow: without, the sword destroys. Without, the sword shall lay them waste, and terror within (Deut 32:25).