Jeremiah 15:19-21 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Therefore thus saith the Lord In these verses we have God's gracious answer to the preceding expostulation. Though the prophet betrayed much human frailty in his address, yet God vouchsafed to answer him with good and comfortable words, for he knows our frame. If thou return Namely, from thy diffidence and distrust in my providence and promises; then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me I will restore thee to the former favour thou hadst with me, and thou shalt be my prophet, to reveal my mind to the people. And if thou take the precious from the vile If thou separate the precious truths of God from the vile fancies of men; or rather, if thou preach so as to distinguish good and bad men from each other, encouraging the good, and reproving the wicked, then I will continue thee as my prophet, to speak in my name; and thou wilt answer the character of a true prophet, whose office it is to utter the words that God puts into his mouth, without adding thereto, or diminishing from them. Let them return unto thee, &c. He here charges the prophet to keep his ground, and not to go over to wicked men, but to use his endeavour to reduce them to that obedience which he yielded to God. And I will make thee unto this people a fenced wall Which the storm batters and beats violently upon, but cannot shake; and they shall fight against thee They will still continue their opposition; but they shall not prevail Namely, to drive thee from off thy work, or to cut thee off from the land of the living. For I am with thee to save thee And I have wisdom and power enough to deal with the most formidable enemy. I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked The wicked Jews; and out of the hand of the terrible The power of the terrible Chaldeans, into whose hands thou shalt come, but shalt be preserved from any harm by the workings of my providence in thy favour.