Jeremiah responded to Jehovah's speaking by petitioning Him for His care. "O Jehovah, You know; / Remember me and visit me, / And avenge me of my persecutors. / In Your longsuffering do not take me away; / Know that for Your sake I bear reproach" (v. 15). By using the word know in his petition, Jeremiah seemed to be reminding God concerning his situation. Jeremiah's petition indicates that no matter how strong and spiritual he might have been, he was still human. As he asked God to remember him and visit him, he seemed to be saying, "O Jehovah, do not forget me. Do not give me up. I need You to remember me, to visit me, and to avenge me of those who are persecuting me for Your sake."
In particular, Jeremiah prayed that, in His longsuffering, Jehovah would not take him away. Jeremiah seemed to be saying, "Jehovah, You are a God who can suffer a long time. I ask that in Your longsuffering You do not allow my persecutors to kill me. You are kind and compassionate, and You may allow my persecutors to go on doing evil things for a long time. I ask that, during the time of Your longsuffering, You will not allow my persecutors to take my life."
The next verse (v. 16) is very unusual and does not seem to fit here. In this verse Jeremiah says, "Your words were found and I ate them, / And Your word became to me / The joy and rejoicing of my heart, / For I am called by Your name, O Jehovah, God of hosts." According to the entire revelation in the Holy Bible, God's words are good for us to eat, and we need to eat them. When we eat God's words, His word becomes our heart's joy and rejoicing.
In this verse Jeremiah says not only that he found and ate God's words but also that he was called by Jehovah's name. The Hebrew words translated "I am called by Your name" may also be rendered "Your name is called over me." In either case, Jeremiah was saying that he belonged to Jehovah and was under His name.
In verse 17 Jeremiah goes on to say, "I did not sit in the assembly of mockers, nor did I exult. / Because of Your hand I sat alone, / For You have filled me with indignation." The word mockers here does not denote despisers but those who mock others by rejoicing in a light way. Such mockers were probably mocking Jeremiah, who did not exult and who was not happy. Furthermore, because Jehovah's hand was upon Jeremiah, he sat alone. Jehovah's hand held him down and constrained him to sit quietly and endure the mocking. Although Jeremiah was quiet, he was filled with indignation. It was impossible for him to have joy or to rejoice.