45:3 Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the LORD hath added grief to my sorrow; I {c} fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.
(c) Baruch moved with an inconsiderate zeal for Jeremiah's imprisonment, but chiefly for the destruction of the people and the temple makes this lamentation, as in Ps 6:6.
45:3 I find no rest - Upon Baruch's reading the prophecies both he and Jeremiah were advised to hide themselves. This probably disturbed Baruch, and made him lament his condition.
45:1-5 An encouragement sent to Baruch. - Baruch was employed in writing Jeremiah's prophecies, and reading them, see ch. Jer 36, and was threatened for it by the king. Young beginners in religion are apt to be discouraged with little difficulties, which they commonly meet with at first in the service of God. These complaints and fears came from his corruptions. Baruch had raised his expectations too high in this world, and that made the distress and trouble he was in harder to be borne. The frowns of the world would not disquiet us, if we did not foolishly flatter ourselves with the hopes of its smiles, and court and covet them. What a folly is it then to seek great things for ourselves here, where every thing is little, and nothing certain! The Lord knows the real cause of our fretfulness and despondency better than we do, and we should beg of him to examine our hearts, and to repress every wrong desire in us.
