Jeremiah 20:7-11

YAHWEH, you pushed me into being a prophet, and I let you do it. You overpowered me, and now I am overcome. I have become nothing but a joke all day long, with everyone mocking me. Whenever I prophesy, you have me speak, “Violence and destruction!” I am ridiculed every time I proclaim your word. I get nothing but trouble and insults all day long. When I tell myself, “I’m not going to speak his message ever again or prophesy any more in his name,” then all at once you are within me like a burning, consuming fire deep in my bones. I try my best to hold your word inside, but I can’t hold it back any longer! For I heard them whispering behind my back: “Terror everywhere! That’s all he prophesies.” All my close friends watch for me to fall. “Let’s turn him in to the authorities,” they say. “Perhaps we can set a trap for him. Finally, we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.” YAHWEH But YAHWEH is a mighty, fearless warrior standing at my side. My persecutors are the ones who will fall down and fail; disgraced by their failure, they will not succeed. Their shame will stick to them forever.