Ver. 18, Hear, ye nations: he calls upon the nations round about to be as so many spectators of his severity against Judah, though they were his own people.
1. Partly to vindicate the justice of his proceedings, that they may not think him too severe.
2. Partly to shame them, if thereby tie may bring them to repentance; and therefore he makes them witnesses as well of their sin as of their punishment, Jeremiah 6:19. Besides,
3. It is a secret upbraiding them, as if the nations were more ready to understand than they. Know, O congregation; either of Israel, and then the next words must be which are among them; or rather, of all nations, as supposing them gathered all together, Psalms 7:7. God is willing that all the world should be witness of the equity of his proceedings. What is among them; or, that which is among them; the relative put for the antecedent; either the height of their wickedness, or the severity of their judgments; understand it either way, or both ways, and then it is the greatness of their punishment, as the effect of the greatness of their sins.