Jeremiah mentions more grounds for hope. Firstly, the Lord is good to those who hope in him. Is this not clear from the history of Israel? Think of the judges, of kings like David, of individuals who prayed to the Lord, even of the heathens of Nineveh who repented when Jonah was sent to them. He is good to those who seek him!
The Lord saves people from his judgment when they come to him with the right attitude of heart. Jeremiah describes this attitude as waiting “quietly.” Through silence, they should acknowledge their guilt before the Lord. They should show that the Lord he has every right to punish them and that they trust only in his love. This is the attitude that the Lord has always wanted from his people (Psalm 131:1–3; Isaiah 30:15).
This attitude is all but easy. It should be learned and practiced – and therefore it is best to start in one’s youth. Jeremiah knows this from experience, as he became a prophet at a young age. He can now teach the Jewish youth to hope in the Lord while they bear their yoke. (Many of them would still experience the return from exile in their old age!)
25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.