Matthew Henry on Lamentations 4:21–end
David's psalms of lamentation commonly conclude with some word of comfort, which is as life from the dead and light shining out of darkness; so does this lamentation here in this chapter. The people of God are now in great distress, their aspects all doleful, their prospects all frightful, and their ill-natured neighbours the Edomites insult over them and do all they can to exasperate their destroyers against them. Such was their violence against their brother Jacob (Oba 1:10), such their spleen at Jerusalem, of which they cried, Rase it, rase it, Psa 137:7. Now it is here foretold, for the encouragement of God's people,
I. That an end shall be put to Zion's troubles (Lam 4:22): The punishme…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 4:21
Rejoice--at our calamities (Psa 137:7). This is a prophecy that Edom should exult over the fall of Jerusalem. At the same time it is implied, Edom's joy shall be short-lived. Ironically she is told, Rejoice while thou mayest (Ecc 11:9).
cup--for this image of the confounding effects of God's wrath, see Jer 13:12; Jer 25:15-16, Jer 25:21; as to Edom, Jer. 49:7-22.
Adam Clarke on Lamentations 4:21
Rejoice and be Lad, O daughter of Edom - A strong irony.
The cup also shall pass through unto thee - Thou who hast triumphed in our disasters shalt shortly have enough of thy own. They had joined themselves to the Chaldeans, (see Psa 137:7), and therefore they should share in the desolations of Babylon.
John Gill on Lamentations 4:21
Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom,.... The land of Idumea, and the inhabitants of it, who did indeed rejoice at the destruction of Jerusalem, Obadiah 1:12; and here, in an ironic manner, are bid to go on with their mirth, if they could, like the young man in Ecclesiastes 11:9, as Aben Ezra observes; for it would not last long, their note would soon be changed:
that dwellest in the land of Uz; not the country of Job, which had its name from Uz the son of Nahor, Job 1:1; but a country in Idumea, from whence the whole was so called, and that from Uz the son of Dishan, one of the sons of Seir: or else the sense is, that Edom or Idumea, and the inhabitants of it, dwelt upon the borders of…
