Lamentations 1:5

Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper.

The adversaries of the good

1. The cause apparent of all the miseries of God’s people is the prospering and prevailing of their enemies.

2. It often comes to pass that the wicked prosper in all things of this life, and the godly contrary (Psalms 73:4; Job 21:7).

(1) God will, by giving them prosperity, make the wicked without excuse.

(2) The godly being assured of God’s favour and yet pinched, they may the more earnestly bend their affections to the inheritance which is prepared for them.

3. It is the natural disposition of the wicked towards the godly to oppress them in action and hate them in affliction.

4. The wicked never prevail against the godly, further than the Lord giveth strength unto them (Job 1:11; 1 Kings 22:22; Matthew 8:31). This teaches us--

(1) To he more patient towards the instruments, and not to be as the dog that snatcheth at the stone cast at him, not regarding the thrower.

(2) To seek the cause of our afflictions in ourselves, for else the just Judge of the world would not correct us.

5. All our afflictions come from the Lord, who is the chief worker thereof.

6. It is the sin of the godly that causeth the Lord to lay all their troubles upon them (Daniel 9:6; Nehemiah 1:6).

7. When God withdraweth His strength from His servants, they fall into many grievous sins, one after another.

8. When God meaneth to punish man, He will not spare to deprive him of that which is more dear unto him.

9. The wicked bear such malice unto the truth that when they get the advantage they spate neither age nor sex, thinking to root out the godly from under heaven. (J. Udall.)