Joel 1:19

“O Lord, to thee will I cry, etc.] Or pray, as the Targum; with great vehemency and earnestness, commiserating the case of man and beast: these are the words of the prophet, resolving to use his interest at the through of grace in this time of distress, whatever others did: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness; or, “of the plain” F27 though in the wildernesses of Judea, there were pastures for cattle: Kimchi interprets them of the shepherds’ tents or cotes, as the word F28 is sometimes used; which were will not to be pitched where there were pastures for their flocks: and so the Targum renders it, “the habitations of the wilderness”; these, whether pastures or…”

“to thee will I cry--Joel here interposes, As this people is insensible to shame or fear and will not hear, I will leave them and address myself directly to Thee (compare Isa 15:5; Jer 23:9). fire--that is, the parching heat. pastures--"grassy places"; from a Hebrew root "to be pleasant." Such places would be selected for "habitations" (Margin). But the English Version rendering is better than Margin.”

“O Lord, to Thee will I cry - This is the only hope left, and contains all hopes. From the Lord was the infliction; in Him is the healing. The prophet appeals to God by His own Name, the faithful Fulfiller of His promises, Him who Is, and who had promised to hear all who call upon Him. Let others call to their idols, if they would, or remain stupid and forgetful, the prophet would cry unto God, and that earnestly. For the fire hath devoured the pastures - The gnawing of locusts leaves things, as though scorched by fire (see the note at Joel 2:3); the sun and the east wind scorch up all green things, as though it had been the actual contact of fire. Spontaneous combustion frequently follows.…”

“The fire - The immoderate heats. The wilderness - The world, only means places not ploughed, and less inhabited than others. Joel 1:20”

“1:19 Lord, help us! (literally to you, Lord, I cry): Joel responded to the plague with an earnest prayer. The people’s only recourse was to turn to the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth and appeal to his goodness; he alone could reverse their desperate situation.”

“to thee: Psa 50:15, Psa 91:15; Mic 7:7; Hab 3:17, Hab 3:18; Luk 18:1, Luk 18:7; Phi 4:6, Phi 4:7 the fire: Joe 2:3; Jer 9:10; Amo 7:4 pastures: or habitations Joel 1:20”