Categoria: Lamentations

Lamentations 5 acknowledges hereditary sin as the Jews cry for God’s mercy and restoration. “Our fathers sinned and are no more, and we bear their punishment… our inheritance has been turned over to aliens… we are feverish from hunger… our women have been ravished… princes have been hung up by their hands… joy is gone from our hearts… retore us to yourself O Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old… O Lord reign forever!”

Lamentations 4 is another acrostic poem describing the siege and destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. The proud people of Jerusalem were reduced to destitution and starvation by their sin. “My people have become heartless… children beg for bread… people are destitute in the streets… the punishment of my people is greater than that of Sodom… their skin has shrivelled on their bones… racked with hunger they waste away… women have cooked their own children… the Lord has given full vent to his wrath… because of the sins of her prophets”. Finally comes a note of hope: “O Daughter of Zion, your punishment will end; he will not prolong your exile!”

Lamentations 3 is the centre of this little book beginning with despair at Babylon’s siege and destruction of Jerusalem, but then switching to hope in the Lord whose “compassions never fail… and whose faithfulness is great”. Initially the author remarks about having experienced “the rod of God’s wrath… he has besieged me… he has weighed me down in chains… he shuts out my prayer… he pierced my heart with arrows… he has broken my teeth with gravel”. The author feels trapped, beaten and abandoned by God. Then the author “calls to mind that which gives him hope… that is that because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed… for his compassions never fail… they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness… the Lord is my portion… I will wait for him… it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord…  for men are not cast off by the Lord forever… why should any man complain when punished for his sins?” Finally the author calls the nation to “examine our ways, repent, and return to the Lord… I called on your ways O Lord, from the depths of the pit… and you heard my plea… you redeemed my life… pay back my enemies O Lord”!

In another acrostic poem Lamentations 2 points to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple as a result of the insistent rebellion and sin by the Jews. “Without pity the Lord has swallowed up all the dwellings of Jacob… in his wrath he has torn down the strongholds of Judah… like an enemy he has strung his bow… and poured out his wrath… the Lord has abandoned his sanctuary… her gates have sunk into the ground… my eyes fail from weeping… the children and infants ask where there is bread and wine?… your wound is as deep as the sea… the visions of your prophets were false and worthless… the Lord has done what he planned and fulfilled his word… the hearts of the people cry out to the Lord… should women eat their offspring?… you have slain men and maiden in the day of your anger… you have slaughtered them without pity… in the day of the Lord’s anger no-one escaped or survived”.

The book of Lamentations, traditionally attributed to Jeremiah, is a series of sad poems reflecting on the catastrophic siege of Jerusalem culminating in its destruction in 587 BC. Israel’s persistent sin had devastating consequences.

Lamentation 1 is an acrostic poem lamenting the fall of Jerusalem. “How like a widow is she… she who once was a queen is now a slave… bitterly she weeps… Judah has gone into exile… she is in bitter anguish… Jerusalem has sinned greatly… she herself groans… the enemy has triumphed… the enemy took her possessions… now they barter what they have for food… my sins have been bound into a yoke… no-one is near to comfort me… no-one to restore my spirit… The Lord is righteous yet I rebelled against his command… in my heart I am disturbed… my groans are many and my heart is faint”.