Jeremiah Complains about the Reaction to His Ministry

20:7 Lord, you coerced me into being a prophet,

and I allowed you to do it.

You overcame my resistance and prevailed over me.11

Now I have become a constant laughingstock.

Everyone ridicules me.

20:8 For whenever I prophesy,12 I must cry out,13

“Violence and destruction are coming!”14

This message from the Lord15 has made me

an object of continual insults and derision.

20:9 Sometimes I think, “I will make no mention of his message.

I will not speak as his messenger16 any more.”

But then17 his message becomes like a fire

locked up inside of me, burning in my heart and soul.18

I grow weary of trying to hold it in;

I cannot contain it.

20:10 I19 hear many whispering words of intrigue against me.

Those who would cause me terror are everywhere!20

They are saying, “Come on, let’s publicly denounce him!”21

All my so-called friends22 are just watching for

something that would lead to my downfall.23

They say, “Perhaps he can be enticed into slipping up,

so we can prevail over24 him and get our revenge on him.

20:11 But the Lord is with me to help me like an awe-inspiring warrior.25

Therefore those who persecute me will fail and will not prevail over me.

They will be thoroughly disgraced because they did not succeed.

Their disgrace will never be forgotten.

20:12 O Lord who rules over all,26 you test and prove the righteous.

You see into people’s hearts and minds.27

Pay them back for what they have done

because I trust you to vindicate my cause.

20:13 Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord!

For he rescues the oppressed from the clutches of evildoers.28

20:14 Cursed be the day I was born!

May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.29

20:15 Cursed be the man

who made my father very glad

when he brought him the news

that a baby boy had been born to him!30

20:16 May that man be like the cities31

that the Lord destroyed without showing any mercy.

May he hear a cry of distress in the morning

and a battle cry at noon.

20:17 For he did not kill me before I came from the womb,

making my pregnant mother’s womb my grave forever.32

20:18 Why did I ever come forth from my mother’s womb?

All I experience is trouble and grief,

and I spend my days in shame.33