Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 17:7
Blessed [is] the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
7. hope ] lit. as mg. trust.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Trusting in the Lord necessarily implieth also a walking close with him, and not in heart departing from him; for it is naturally impossible that any should repose a confidence in another for any good things, which that other hath promised under any condition, without some satisfaction in himself that he hath in some measure fulfilled the condition upon which the promise is made. But that man that truly trusteth and hopeth in the Lord is and shall be a blessed man.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. (Psa 34:8;Pro 16:20; Isa 30:18).Jeremiah first removed the weeds (false trusts), so that there mightbe room for the good grain [CALVIN].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord,…. In the Word of the Lord, as the Targum, in Christ the essential Word of God; see Ps 2:12 who have a spiritual knowledge of him, and so trust in him, Ps 9:10 who have seen the vanity and emptiness of all other objects of trust, there being no salvation in them, only in him; who betake themselves to him as their only refuge; lay hold, rest, and rely upon him, as their Saviour; commit their all unto him; trust him with all their concerns, respecting life and salvation, and with their immortal souls; and expect all from him, grace here, and glory hereafter: who trust in his person for their acceptance with God; in his righteousness for their justification; in his blood for the pardon of their sins; in his fulness for the supply of their wants; in his power for protection and preservation; and in all for eternal life and happiness: and such are blessed persons; for they are in the utmost safety; they are as Mount Zion, which can never be removed; they shall want no good thing, temporal or spiritual, proper for them; they enjoy great peace now, and in the world to come everlasting glory:
and whose hope the Lord is; the Word of the Lord, according to the Targum, as before: Christ, who is the Hope of Israel, our hope, and Christ in us the hope of glory, Jer 14:8, whose hope is from the Lord, of which he is the author and giver; and is a good hope, through his grace; and which has the Lord Jesus Christ for its object; who turn in to him as prisoners of hope; and lay hold on him, the hope set before them; and do hope in him for pardoning mercy, salvation, and eternal life. Blessed men! their hope shall not make them ashamed; they shall not be disappointed, Ps 146:5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Observed ought to be the order which the Prophet keeps; for he could not have profitably spoken of this second part had he not first taken away that false confidence to which the Jews had long cleaved; for when any one casts seed on an uncultivated soil, what fruit can there be to his labor? As then it is necessary to make use of the plough before the seed is sown, so also, when we seek to teach profitably, it is necessary to pull up the vices which have their roots in the hearts of men; and this especially must be the case when we treat of faith in God alone, and of sincere calling on his name. And the Prophet had a particular reason for what he did, because the Jews had long hardened themselves in false confidences, so that they disregarded God in two respects, — they despised his threatenings, and also made no account of his gracious promises. The Prophet then couht have effected nothing had he not pursued this method, — that is, to correct the evil by which they had been long tainted; for noxious weeds must be first taken away before there can be any room for the corn to grow.
But had he spoken only negatively, that is, had he only condemned their false confidence, it would not have been sufficient. The Jews indeed might have said, that they had been deceived in placing their hopes in the Egyptians; but this might have happened through some bad men: and by looking for aid elsewhere, when disappointed, they would indeed have condemned their own counsels, but would yet have remained in suspense and anxious, without seeking God. Hence we see how suitably the Prophet began by condemning the Jews for placing confidence in men, and then how wisely he added this second part; for, as I have said, it was not enough to speak as it were negatively, without inviting them to return to God. But this is often the case in the present day; for we see that many laugh at those superstitions which have hitherto prevailed under the Papacy; but yet no religion appears in them. It is enough for them to ridicule these mummeries; but it would have been better for them to be retained in the fear of God, even by some superstition, than thus to expose evil, and yet to have no reverence for God. It is the same absurdity as to pull down a bad house and to leave man under the open air; for what end can such a thing be done? for he who is compelled to leave his house had something to cover him for a time. Hence it is not sufficient to destroy what is bad, except a good building succeeds.
This is the method and order which the Prophet observed: After having said, that all they are accursed who confide in men, he now adds, Blessed is the man who trusts in Jehovah; as though he had said, that men are wholly inexcusable in relying on themselves or on others, when God willingly offers himself to them. What then in it that prevents men from having their safety secured? Their own sin in rejecting the grace of God, which is freely offered to them; but they prefer to deceive themselves, and to ascribe to themselves and to others what justly belongs to God alone.
We see then that the ingratitude of the whole world is here condemned by the Prophet when he says, that all who trust in Jehovah are blessed: for had God concealed himself there would have been some covering for ignorance; and also a defense of this kind might have been made, — “What else could we do? We sought the aid which was within our reach: had God called us to himself or allowed us to come to him, we would have been very willing; but as he has forsaken us, it was indeed the last refuge of despair to consider what was to be done, and to seek from every quarter aids for ourselves.” Hence the Prophet here shews that all such defences were frivolous, for God had freely invited them to himself; for to no purpose would he have said, that they are blessed who trust in Jehovah, had not God set himself forth as their confidence.
But we must notice what farther confirms this sentence, which is in itself very clear, And whose confidence Jehovah is. No additional light seems to be given to the preceding truth; and then what ambiguity does it contain which requires an explanation? Blessed is the man who trusts in Jehovah; even children can understand this: the words, then, of the Prophet are either superfluous, or there is some reason why he repeats what is so clear. Doubtless the unbelief, which every one of us finds in himself, is the best teacher; for even they who seem to have real confidence in God, yet falter when some trial assails them. Since then it is a common thing with us to look around to various quarters when any danger is near, we may hence, easily know that we do not hope in God. What then seems to us so easy, we find in reality to be very difficult: and hence the Prophet, after having said, that they are blessed who trust in God, has mentioned this in the second place, And whose hope is God; as though he had said, “The world knows not what it is to trust in God: though every one boldly testifies this, and even boastingly declares that he trusts in God, yet not one in a thousand finds that he understands this, or has ever known what it is from the heart to hope in God.” We now see that this repetition is not superfluous or unmeaning.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(7) Blessed is the man . . .The words that follow in Jer. 17:8 are almost a paraphrase of Psa. 1:3. and, we may well believe, were suggested by them. The prophet has, as it were, his own Ebal and Gerizim: trust in God inheriting the blessing, and distrust the curse.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7, 8. Blessed trusteth The blessedness of trusting in God heightens by contrast the curse of trusting in man. Mark the particulars of this contrast. One is a solitary, worthless shrub; the other a tree. One is in the desert; the other by the watercourses. One shall not see when good cometh; the other shall not see when heat cometh. One inhabits parched, barren, uninhabitated places; the other has a leaf always green, is unaffected by the year of drought, and does not leave off fruitbearing.
Shall not see Rather, fear. “See” comes from the marginal reading of the Masoretes, is opposed to the leading ancient Versions, and has nothing to commend it.
By the waters Literally, watercourses. The reference may be to natural or to artificial channels.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
What a beautiful contrast do these verses contain, to those which were before; and in what a lovely manner is that well founded trust in the Lord pointed out, under the similitude of a tree planted by the river. Reader! only make reference of what is here said to the Church planted in Christ, and by Christ, the Tree of life, and what glories pour in upon the soul, from such a view of the doctrine? Rev 22:2 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 17:7 Blessed [is] the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
Ver. 7. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord. ] See on Jer 17:5 Psa 25:12 ; Psa 32:10 ; Psa 34:8 ; Psa 84:12 ; Psa 125:1 ; Psa 146:5 , where David. having entered a caveat against creature confidence, persuadeth people, by trusting in God alone, to provide for their own safety and happiness. See Nah 1:7 . Such shall have marvellous lovingkindness from God, Psa 17:7 above all that can be uttered (Psa 31:19 ; see Pro 28:25 ).
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
hope = confidence. Hebrew. batah, as in the preceding line. Not the same word as in verses: Jer 17:13, Jer 17:17.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 2:12, Psa 34:8, Psa 84:12, Psa 125:1, Psa 146:5, Pro 16:20, Isa 26:3, Isa 26:4, Isa 30:18, Eph 1:12
Reciprocal: 2Ki 18:5 – trusted 1Ch 5:20 – because Psa 1:1 – Blessed Psa 16:1 – for Psa 20:8 – but we Psa 32:1 – Blessed Psa 32:10 – but Psa 37:3 – Trust Psa 40:4 – Blessed Psa 71:5 – For thou Psa 78:7 – set Psa 131:3 – Let Israel Pro 3:5 – Trust Pro 12:12 – the root Pro 22:19 – thy Pro 28:25 – he that putteth Isa 57:13 – but he Isa 61:3 – called Jer 17:17 – thou Jer 39:18 – because Dan 3:28 – that trusted Nah 1:7 – that Rom 8:24 – saved Rom 10:11 – Whosoever Eph 4:4 – as 1Ti 4:10 – because 1Ti 6:17 – but Heb 6:19 – both 1Pe 1:21 – your
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 17:7. Blessed means happy and the declaration is not merely a decree of (lie Lord. The logic of it was already apparent in the experiences of that generation. The people of Judah had deserted the Lord for I lie sake of unfaithful prophets and priests and the result was the unhappy state they were in. .
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 17:7-8. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord That lives in continual obedience to him, and relies entirely upon him for every blessing he wants for his body or soul, for himself or others who, under God, are dependant upon him; and whose hope the Lord is Who makes the Lords favour the good he hopes for, and his power the strength he hopes in. Trusting aright in the Lord necessarily implies walking closely with him, and not departing from him in heart. For it is naturally impossible that any one should repose confidence in another for any thing which had been promised under a condition, without a consciousness in himself that he had, at least in some good measure, complied with the condition upon which it was promised. For he shall be like a tree planted, &c. He shall be prosperous and successful in his counsels and undertakings. He may be compared to a tree planted in a fertile soil, on the bank of a river, to which it extends its roots, and from which it derives abundance of sap and nourishment. And shall not see when heat cometh , say the LXX., shall not fear when heat cometh. They follow the reading of the Hebrew text, which is to be preferred before that of the margin. And shall not be careful in the year of drought Shall not be solicitous for fear it should lack moisture; that is, in a time when the leaves of trees standing on dry mountainous places are parched and withered, it shall retain its verdure, and continue to yield its fruit. Blaney translates the clause, And it is not sensible when heat cometh; but its leaf is green, and in a year of drought it is without concern; nor doth it decline bearing fruit.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Lord also announced a blessing on anyone who trusts in Him, namely, all who acknowledge Him as their Lord and surrender to Him.