Jeremiah 20:11

“But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one, etc.] The Targum is, “the Word of the Lord is for my help.” “Mighty” to support, uphold, defend, and deliver him; and “terrible” to his enemies. The prophet looks back to the promise the Lord had made him, of his gracious and powerful presence, (<240118>Jeremiah 1:18,19); which he now takes comfort from; and it would have been well if he had kept this always in view, and had continued in the same actings of faith and temper of mind: but this lasted not long, as some following verses show; therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and shall not prevail; though they should very hotly and furiously pursue him, yet they should stumble and fall by…”

“not prevail--as they hoped to do (Jer 20:10; Jer 15:20). prosper--in their plot.”

“In the rest of the chapter we have an outbreak of deep emotion, of which the first part ends in a cry of hope Jeremiah 20:13, followed nevertheless by curses upon the day of his birth. Was this the result of feelings wounded by the indignities of a public scourging and a night spent in the stocks? Or was it not the mental agony of knowing that his ministry had (as it seemed) failed? He stands indeed before the multitudes with unbending strength, warning prince and people with unwavering constancy of the national ruin that would follow necessarily upon their sins. Before God he stood crushed by the thought that he had labored in vain, and spent his strength for nothing. It is important to…”

“But - The prophet recovering himself out of his fit of passion, encourageth himself in his God, whom he calls the mighty and terrible one, so declaring his faith in the power of God, as one able to save him, and in the promise and good will of God toward him; therefore he saith, The Lord is with me; such was the promise of God to this prophet, when he first undertook the prophetical office, Jer 1:8. Be not afraid of their faces, for I am with thee to deliver thee saith the Lord: from hence be concludes, that though he had many that pursued after his life, yet they should stumble in their ways of violence, and should not prevail. Ashamed - That they should be ashamed of what they had done, or…”

“20:11 Jeremiah realized that God was like a great warrior standing at his side. Jeremiah’s persecutors were at a real disadvantage and would completely fail.”

“the Lord: Jer 1:8, Jer 1:19, Jer 15:20; Isa 41:10, Isa 41:14; Rom 8:31; Ti2 4:17 a mighty: Psa 47:2, Psa 65:5, Psa 66:5 my: Jer 17:18; Deu 32:35, Deu 32:36; Psa 27:1, Psa 27:2; Joh 18:4-6 and they: Jer 1:19, Jer 15:20 everlasting: Jer 23:40; Psa 6:10, Psa 35:26, Psa 40:14; Isa 45:16; Dan 12:2 Jeremiah 20:12”