Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.
Parallel translations
- WEB Give heed to me, Yahweh, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me.
- BSB Attend to me, O LORD. Hear what my accusers are saying!
- NKJV Give heed to me, O Lord, And listen to the voice of those who contend with me!
- NASB ¶Give Your attention to me, Lord, And listen to what my opponents are saying!
- NLT Lord, hear me and help me! Listen to what my enemies are saying.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jeremiah turns to God in prayer, asking him to attend to his cause against his accusers. He brings his grievance to the Lord rather than retaliating.
Overview
Surrounded by conspirators, the prophet appeals to God to heed both his plea and the threats of his adversaries. Rather than defending himself by his own hand, he commits his case to the righteous Judge. This pattern of entrusting oneself to God amid persecution is fulfilled supremely in Christ, who committed himself to him who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Neh 6:9For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
- Jer 20:12But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.
- Ps 55:16–17As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
- Mic 7:8Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.
- Ps 109:28Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
- Ps 64:1–4Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
- Neh 4:4–5Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:
- 2 Kgs 19:16LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.
- Ps 109:4For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.
- Luke 6:11–12And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
- Ps 56:1–3Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 18:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.