Lamentations 1:14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up on my neck: he has made my strength to fall… 1. The sins of God's people are the heaviest burden they can possibly bear in this life. (1) They make a separation between God and them. (2) They give Satan matter to tyrannise over them. (3) They do, after a sort, possess the soul with the very torments of hell. 2. When God meaneth to punish us for our sins, He calleth them all to remembrance. (1) That His justice may find just matter why to smite us. (2) That He may lay His corrections upon us according as He shall see meet, by viewing the quality of our sins and obstinacy therein, or proudness to repentance. 3. When God meaneth to correct, He will so do it as it cannot be escaped. 4. God giveth strength and courage to men, and taketh it away at His pleasure (Deuteronomy 28:7, 25). 5. The issue of battle is in the hand of God alone (Psalm 44:3). 6. God often delivereth His servants into the hands of the ungodly. (1) To exercise them, and bring them to repentance, or to perfect His power in their weakness. (2) To give the wicked occasion to show forth their cruel disposition. 7. God sometimes afflicteth His people so grievously that their state seemeth desperate and irrecoverable in the judgment of flesh and blood. (1) That He may show His mighty power in restoring them. (2) That all means being taken away, they may learn to look up to heaven and rest upon Him only. (J. Udall.) Parallel Verses KJV: The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up. |
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