Jeremiah 18:23

“Yet, Lord, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay [me], etc.] However deep they had laid them; and however unknown they were to him; or however private and secret they might be thought to be by them; God is an omniscient God, and knows and sees all things; the thoughts of men’s hearts, and all their secret designs in the dark against his ministers, people, and interest: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight; they had sinned the unpardonable sin; or, however, a sin unto death; for which prayer for the forgiveness of it was not to be made, (<620516>1 John 5:16); this the prophet knew: what he here imprecates, and both before and after, must be…”

“forgive not-- (Psa 109:9-10, Psa 109:14). blot out--image from an account-book (Rev 20:12). before thee--Hypocrites suppose God is not near, so long as they escape punishment; but when He punishes, they are said to stand before Him, because they can no longer flatter themselves they can escape His eye (compare Psa 90:8). deal thus--exert Thy power against them [MAURER]. time of thine anger--Though He seems to tarry, His time shall come at last (Ecc 8:11-12; Pe2 3:9-10). Referred by MAURER, &c., to the beginning of Zedekiah's reign. Next: Jeremiah Chapter 19”

“Yet, Lord - Better, But, Lord. They conceal their plots, but God knows, and therefore must punish. Neither blot out ... - Or, “blot not out their sin from before Thy face that they may be made to stumble before Thee.” Thus - Omit this word. Since there is an acceptable time and a day of salvation, so there is a time of anger, and Jeremiah’s prayer is that God would deal with his enemies at such a time, and when therefore no mercy would be shown. On imprecations such as these, see Psalms 109:0 introductory note. Though they did not flow from personal vengeance, but from a pure zeal for God’s honor, yet they belong to the legal spirit of the Jewish covenant. We must not, because we have been…”

“thou: Jer 18:18, Jer 11:18-20, Jer 15:15; Psa 37:32, Psa 37:33 to slay me: Heb. for death forgive: Neh 4:4, Neh 4:5; Psa 35:4, Psa 59:5, Psa 69:22-28, Psa 109:14, Psa 109:15; Isa 2:9 in the: Jer 8:12, Jer 11:23; Isa 10:3; Luk 21:22; Rom 2:5 Next: Jeremiah Chapter 19”