Can thine heart endure,.... Or "stand" : surely it must fall within thee; become like water, and melt as wax, be it ever so hard and adamantine:or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee?
surely they must become weak, and drop, and not be able to hold a weapon for defence: and, if this would be the case, when God should deal with the Jews for their sins, by sending the Chaldean army to besiege their city, and take it; how will it be with sinners at the day of judgment, and to all eternity, when the awful sentence shall be pronounced, "go ye cursed"; when the wrath of God shall be poured out upon them; when they shall be cast into hell, where the worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched?
this will be intolerable by the most stout hearted sinner; no heart will be strong enough to stand up under it, or hands to keep it off:I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it; he who is the mighty God, the eternal and unchangeable Jehovah; he has said it, that he will deal with impenitent sinners in a way of wrath, and he will be as good as his word; he will certainly accomplish it; it is in vain for men to flatter themselves to the contrary; or to put away the evil day far from them; it shall surely be.
The Targum is,"I have decreed by my word, and I will establish it.'' dmeyh "num quid stabit cor tuum?"