“O Lord!
Look down
From your holy dwelling!
Consider us!
Incline your ear!
O Lord!
Hear!
Open your eyes!
O Lord!
See!
The dead
Who are in Hades,
Whose spirit
Has been taken
From their bodies,
Will not ascribe glory
To the Lord.
They will not ascribe justice
To the Lord.
But the person
Who is deeply grieved,
Who walks bent over
Who is feeble,
Who has failing eyes,
That person
Will declare
Your glory.
They will declare
Your righteousness.
O Lord!”
This prayer of Baruch continues by asking God to look down from his heavenly holy dwelling. He should consider their situation. God should incline his ear and listen. He should open his eyes and see. The dead in Hades or Sheol have no spirit. They cannot give glory or justice to the Lord. On the other hand, those who are still living, but grieving, bent over, and feeble with poor eye sight can still declare the glory and righteousness of the Lord. Thus it is better to be alive and weak than dead.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 