I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath;
The word, עברה obere, properly means assault, passing over limits; but what is peculiar to man is often in Scripture ascribed to God. Here also he changes the person, for he spoke before of the people under the person of a woman, as it is often done; but now the Prophet himself comes before us.
God is angry with His own people, yet it comes as a rod to correct, not a sword to destroy. Walk in darkness though we may, we must not quarrel with affliction, for His anger is just and His chastening, though grievous now, mixed with mercy.
AI summary
Commenting on Lamentations 3:1-20
I am the man that hath seen affliction,.... Had a much experience of it, especially ever since he had been a prophet; being reproached and ill used by his own people, and suffering with them in their calamities; particularly, as Jarchi observes, his affliction was greater than the other prophets, who indeed prophesied of the destruction of the city and temple, but did not see...