◄ Jeremiah 15:15 ►
You understand, O LORD; remember me and attend to me. Avenge me against my persecutors. In Your patience, do not take me away. Know that I endure reproach for Your honor.
Study Bible
You understand, O LORD
The phrase begins with an acknowledgment of God's omniscience. The Hebrew word for "understand" is "yada," which implies an intimate knowledge. Jeremiah is appealing to God's deep awareness of his situation. This reflects a personal relationship where the prophet trusts that God comprehends his struggles and intentions. The invocation of "O LORD" (YHWH) signifies a covenantal relationship, reminding us of God's faithfulness and eternal presence.

remember me and attend to me
"Remember" in Hebrew is "zakar," which is more than recalling; it involves action based on that remembrance. Jeremiah is asking God to act on his behalf, to intervene in his plight. "Attend to me" suggests a plea for God's attention and care, akin to a shepherd tending to his sheep. This reflects a deep trust in God's ability to provide and protect, emphasizing the personal nature of Jeremiah's relationship with God.

Avenge me against my persecutors
The call for vengeance is rooted in the Hebrew concept of justice. "Avenge" (Hebrew "naqam") is not about personal revenge but seeking God's righteous judgment. Jeremiah's persecutors are those who oppose God's message, and his plea is for divine justice. This reflects the biblical principle that vengeance belongs to the Lord (Deuteronomy 32:35), and Jeremiah is entrusting his cause to God's perfect justice.

In Your patience, do not take me away
Here, "patience" (Hebrew "erek") refers to God's longsuffering and forbearance. Jeremiah is asking for God's continued patience with him, not to remove him prematurely from his prophetic mission. This highlights the tension between divine justice and mercy, where Jeremiah seeks God's mercy to sustain him amidst trials. It underscores the belief in God's timing and purpose, trusting that God will not abandon His servants.

know that I endure reproach for Your honor
"Endure" (Hebrew "nasa") conveys the idea of bearing or carrying a burden. Jeremiah is bearing the reproach, or disgrace, because of his commitment to God's message. "For Your honor" indicates that his suffering is not in vain but is for the sake of God's name and glory. This reflects the biblical theme of suffering for righteousness' sake, as seen in the lives of prophets and ultimately in Christ. It is an encouragement to believers to remain steadfast, knowing that their trials serve a higher purpose in God's plan.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
The prophet who is speaking in this verse, known for his messages of warning and calls for repentance to the people of Judah.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, whom Jeremiah is addressing in his plea for remembrance and justice.

3. Persecutors
Those who oppose and threaten Jeremiah, likely including both individuals and groups who reject his prophetic message.

4. Reproach
The scorn and disgrace Jeremiah faces as a result of his commitment to delivering God's messages.

5. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, where Jeremiah's ministry takes place, facing impending judgment due to its unfaithfulness.
Teaching Points
God's Understanding and Remembrance
God is intimately aware of our struggles and remembers us in our trials. We can confidently bring our pleas before Him, knowing He understands our circumstances.

Patience in Suffering
Jeremiah's request for God not to take him away in His patience teaches us to trust in God's timing and sovereignty, even when we face prolonged difficulties.

Enduring Reproach for God's Honor
Like Jeremiah, we may face scorn for our faithfulness to God. We are called to endure such reproach, knowing it is for His honor and glory.

Divine Justice Over Personal Vengeance
Jeremiah's appeal for God to avenge him reminds us to leave justice in God's hands, trusting Him to deal rightly with those who oppose us.

Faithfulness Amidst Persecution
Jeremiah's life exemplifies steadfastness in the face of persecution. We are encouraged to remain faithful, knowing that God sees and rewards our perseverance.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Jeremiah's plea for God to remember him encourage us in our own times of trial?

2. In what ways can we apply Jeremiah's patience in suffering to our current challenges?

3. How does enduring reproach for God's honor manifest in our daily lives, and what can we learn from Jeremiah's example?

4. What are some practical ways we can trust God for justice rather than seeking personal vengeance?

5. How can the experiences of Jeremiah and other biblical figures who faced persecution strengthen our faith and resolve today?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 69:7-9
This passage reflects a similar theme of enduring reproach for God's sake, highlighting the cost of faithfulness.

Matthew 5:10-12
Jesus speaks about the blessing of being persecuted for righteousness, connecting to Jeremiah's experience of suffering for God's honor.

Romans 12:19
Paul advises believers to leave vengeance to God, aligning with Jeremiah's plea for divine justice against his persecutors.

2 Timothy 3:12
Paul warns that all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will face persecution, echoing Jeremiah's experience.

Hebrews 12:3
Encourages believers to consider Jesus' endurance of opposition, providing a model for enduring reproach like Jeremiah.
Sermons
A Promise of Better ThingsJeremiah 15:15
Jeremiah's PrayerB. Beddome, M. A.Jeremiah 15:15
PrayerW. Whale.Jeremiah 15:15
The Desire to be RememberedA. K. H. Boyd, D. D.Jeremiah 15:15
The Long-Suffering of GodPulpit Assistant.Jeremiah 15:15
Thou Knowest ItA.F. Muir Jeremiah 15:15
The Prophet's Claim Upon Jehovah, and the Grounds of the ClaimD. Young Jeremiah 15:15-17
People
Hezekiah, Jeremiah, Manasseh, Samuel
Places
Jerusalem, Zion
Topics
Angry, Attacking, Avenge, Bear, Borne, Care, Endure, Forbearance, Hast, Inspect, Longsuffering, Long-suffering, Mind, Notice, O, Patience, Persecutors, Pursuers, Rebuke, Remember, Reproach, Revenge, Reward, Sake, Shame, Slow, Suffer, Suffered, Taunts, Undergone, Vengeance, View, Visit
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 15:15

     1095   God, patience of
     5346   injury
     5496   revenge, examples
     6233   rejection, experience
     8355   understanding

Jeremiah 15:15-18

     8610   prayer, asking God

Jeremiah 15:15-21

     8615   prayer, doubts

Library
The Northern Iron and the Steel
That being the literal meaning, we shall draw from our text a general principle. It is a proverbial expression, no doubt, and applicable to many other matters besides that of the prophet and the Jews; it is clearly meant to show, that in order to achieve a purpose, there must be a sufficient force. The weaker cannot overcome the stronger. In a general clash the firmest will win. There must be sufficient firmness in the instrument or the work cannot be done. You cannot cut granite with a pen-knife, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

Hidden Manna
He was eminently the man that had seen affliction, and yet in the midst of a wilderness of woe he discovered fountains of joy. Like that Blessed One, who was "the man of sorrows" and the acquaintance of grief, he sometimes rejoiced in spirit and blessed the name of the Lord. It will be both interesting and profitable to note the root of the joy which grew up in Jeremiah's heart, like a lone palm tree in the desert. Here was its substance. It was an intense delight to him to have been chosen to the …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

Ten Reasons Demonstrating the Commandment of the Sabbath to be Moral.
1. Because all the reasons of this commandment are moral and perpetual; and God has bound us to the obedience of this commandment with more forcible reasons than to any of the rest--First, because he foresaw that irreligious men would either more carelessly neglect, or more boldly break this commandment than any other; secondly, because that in the practice of this commandment the keeping of all the other consists; which makes God so often complain that all his worship is neglected or overthrown, …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Sins of Communities Noted and Punished.
"Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation." This is predicated of the judgments of God on those who had shed the blood of his saints. The Savior declares that all the righteous blood which had been shed on the earth from that of Abel down to the gospel day, should come on that generation! But is not this unreasonable and contrary to the Scriptures? "Far be wickedness from God and iniquity from the Almighty. For the work of man shall be render unto him, and cause every …
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

General Notes by the American Editor
1. The whole subject of the Apocalypse is so treated, [2318] in the Speaker's Commentary, as to elucidate many questions suggested by the primitive commentators of this series, and to furnish the latest judgments of critics on the subject. It is so immense a matter, however, as to render annotations on patristic specialties impossible in a work like this. Every reader must feel how apposite is the sententious saying of Augustine: "Apocalypsis Joannis tot sacramenta quot verba." 2. The seven spirits, …
Victorinus—Commentary on the Apocolypse of the Blessed John

How those who Fear Scourges and those who Contemn them are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 14.) Differently to be admonished are those who fear scourges, and on that account live innocently, and those who have grown so hard in wickedness as not to be corrected even by scourges. For those who fear scourges are to be told by no means to desire temporal goods as being of great account, seeing that bad men also have them, and by no means to shun present evils as intolerable, seeing they are not ignorant how for the most part good men also are touched by them. They are to be admonished …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

What the Scriptures Principally Teach: the Ruin and Recovery of Man. Faith and Love Towards Christ.
2 Tim. i. 13.--"Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." Here is the sum of religion. Here you have a compend of the doctrine of the Scriptures. All divine truths may be reduced to these two heads,--faith and love; what we ought to believe, and what we ought to do. This is all the Scriptures teach, and this is all we have to learn. What have we to know, but what God hath revealed of himself to us? And what have we to do, but what …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Word
The third way to escape the wrath and curse of God, and obtain the benefit of redemption by Christ, is the diligent use of ordinances, in particular, the word, sacraments, and prayer.' I begin with the best of these ordinances. The word . . . which effectually worketh in you that believe.' 1 Thess 2:13. What is meant by the word's working effectually? The word of God is said to work effectually when it has the good effect upon us for which it was appointed by God; when it works powerful illumination …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

An Analysis of Augustin's Writings against the Donatists.
The object of this chapter is to present a rudimentary outline and summary of all that Augustin penned or spoke against those traditional North African Christians whom he was pleased to regard as schismatics. It will be arranged, so far as may be, in chronological order, following the dates suggested by the Benedictine edition. The necessary brevity precludes anything but a very meagre treatment of so considerable a theme. The writer takes no responsibility for the ecclesiological tenets of the …
St. Augustine—writings in connection with the donatist controversy.

Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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