Jeremiah Compelled to Preach

You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived.
You seized me and prevailed.
I am a laughingstock all the time;(A)
everyone ridicules me.
For whenever I speak, I cry out,
I proclaim, “Violence and destruction!”(B)
because the word of the Lord has become for me
constant disgrace and derision.
If I say, “I won’t mention Him
or speak any longer in His name,”
His message becomes a fire burning in my heart,(C)
shut up in my bones.
I become tired of holding it in,
and I cannot prevail.
10 For I have heard the gossip of many people,
“Terror is on every side![a](D)
Report him; let’s report him!”
Everyone I trusted[b] watches for my fall.(E)
“Perhaps he will be deceived
so that we might prevail against him
and take our vengeance on him.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 20:10 Hb Magor-missabib; Jr 20:3
  2. Jeremiah 20:10 Lit Every man of my peace

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