Jeremiah’s Prayer and God’s Answer

15 aYou who know, O Lord,

Remember me, take notice of me,

And btake vengeance for me on my persecutors.

Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away;

Know that cfor Your sake I endure reproach.

16 Your words were found and I aate them,

And Your bwords became for me a joy and the delight of my heart;

For I have been ccalled by Your name,

O Lord God of hosts.

17 I adid not sit in the circle of merrymakers,

Nor did I exult.

Because of Your hand upon me I sat balone,

For You cfilled me with indignation.

18 Why has my pain been perpetual

And my awound incurable, refusing to be healed?

Will You indeed be to me blike a deceptive stream

With water that is unreliable?

19 Therefore, thus says the Lord,

“aIf you return, then I will restore you—

bBefore Me you will stand;

And cif you extract the precious from the worthless,

You will become 1My spokesman.

They for their part may turn to you,

But as for you, you must not turn to them.

20 “Then I will amake you to this people

A fortified wall of bronze;

And though they fight against you,

They will not prevail over you;

For bI am with you to save you

And deliver you,” declares the Lord.

21 “So I will adeliver you from the hand of the wicked,

And I will bredeem you from the 1grasp of the violent.”