Jerusalem is indeed asking that God judges her enemies as he has judged her. Although she acknowledges her transgressions, she asks that divine equity should not overlook the misconduct of her enemy. This plea should not be seen as a general invocation for a curse, or vengeance just for the sake of vengeance. There are two important reasons for her request:
Jerusalem’s request rested on God’s moral governance of mankind and as judge of all the earth. Therefore, the request is primarily based on the need for God’s justice to be served. The people of God regarded crimes against others as crimes committed against God. Therefore, they would pray for God to execute his righteousness and justice by punishing the wicked: in this case, Jerusalem’s enemies.1
Jerusalem asks for this judgment so that her many groans and her faintness of heart may stop. She prays for relief. After she asks for judgment, she gives the reason:
for my groans are many, and my heart is faint.
Her suffering is continuous because of the cruelty of the Babylonian forces and the incursions of her hostile neighbours. If they received out of the hand of God their deserved punishment, hergroans
would lessen, and herfaintness of heart
would be eased.2
22 Que toute leur méchanceté vienne devant toi, Et traite-les comme tu m'as traitée, A cause de toutes mes transgressions! Car mes soupirs sont nombreux, et mon cœur est souffrant.