Lamentations
Book of Lamentations • Sermon • Submitted
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Reference: I leaned heavily upon Mark Vroegop book Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy to help provide clear, biblical wording when describing Lament.
Introduction
Introduction
We very likely will not get to the book of Lamentations tonight.
To better appreciate Lamentations we need to consider the purpose and value of lament.
I could see some objections. Why think upon these things? The purpose of lamenting is not to dig a hole of deep emotion and fall into to it. It is too dig in God’s Word until we find a solid bedrock. It is to offer hope.
Introduction to lamenting and lamentations.
Introduction to lamenting and lamentations.
Lament is an important and biblical category that we need to understand and embrace. We need lament not only because it is in the Bible, but also because there is far more pain in our church than we even realize.
To cry is human but to lament is Christian. - Vroegop
Lament
Lament
A lament gives voice and words to emotions and questions that believers face in the midst of suffering, pain, and hardship.
Laments wrestle with at least two questions: “Where are you, God?” and “If you love me, why is this happening?”
Since the audience of a lament is God, every lament is really a prayer.
It takes faith to pray prayers of lament.
Lament is both an act of worship and a means of leading us to worship.
Lament keeps us out of two spiritual ditches: “You owe me” and “It’s over.”
Lament acknowledges the ultimate cause of suffering and longs for the promised resolution.
Christians can truly lament because they understand the full story of redemption.
You know the full story that teaches us in the darkest of days God is not absent but is on a cross.
Crying expresses sorrow over pain while Christian lament goes further; it interprets the cause and the trajectory of pain.
Let us look for these things in the example of a lament given in Psalm 77
Let us look for these things in the example of a lament given in Psalm 77
To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph. 1 I cried unto God with my voice, Even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. 2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: My sore ran in the night, and ceased not: My soul refused to be comforted. 3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. 4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 5 I have considered the days of old, The years of ancient times. 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: And my spirit made diligent search. 7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? And will he be favourable no more? 8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Doth his promise fail for evermore? 9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. 10 And I said, This is my infirmity: But I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. 11 I will remember the works of the Lord: Surely I will remember thy wonders of old. 12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. 13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: Who is so great a God as our God? 14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: Thou hast declared thy strength among the people. 15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. 16 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: The depths also were troubled. 17 The clouds poured out water: The skies sent out a sound: Thine arrows also went abroad. 18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: The lightnings lightened the world: The earth trembled and shook. 19 Thy way is in the sea, And thy path in the great waters, And thy footsteps are not known. 20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock By the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Psalm 77 (KJV 1900)
To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph. 1 I cried unto God with my voice, Even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. 2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: My sore ran in the night, and ceased not: My soul refused to be comforted. 3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. 4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 5 I have considered the days of old, The years of ancient times. 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: And my spirit made diligent search. 7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? And will he be favourable no more? 8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Doth his promise fail for evermore? 9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. 10 And I said, This is my infirmity: But I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. 11 I will remember the works of the Lord: Surely I will remember thy wonders of old. 12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. 13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: Who is so great a God as our God? 14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: Thou hast declared thy strength among the people. 15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. 16 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: The depths also were troubled. 17 The clouds poured out water: The skies sent out a sound: Thine arrows also went abroad. 18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: The lightnings lightened the world: The earth trembled and shook. 19 Thy way is in the sea, And thy path in the great waters, And thy footsteps are not known. 20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock By the hand of Moses and Aaron.
To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph.
1 I cried unto God with my voice, Even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. (element of trust in knowing where to direct our cause)
2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: My sore ran in the night, and ceased not: My soul refused to be comforted. (acknowledging that there is a wrestling in the soul)
3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. (pause and think upon these things - the great enemy of lament is a frantic pace to move on from hurt))
4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I have considered the days of old, The years of ancient times.
6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: And my spirit made diligent search. ( wrestle honestly with the tough tension related to the mystery of God’s plans and purposes.)
7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? And will he be favourable no more?
8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Doth his promise fail for evermore?
9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
10 And I said, This is my infirmity: But I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.
11 I will remember the works of the Lord: Surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: Who is so great a God as our God? (wrestling two questions: “Where are you, God?” and “If you love me, why is this happening?”)
14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: Thou hast declared thy strength among the people.
15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
16 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: The depths also were troubled.
17 The clouds poured out water: The skies sent out a sound: Thine arrows also went abroad.
18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: The lightnings lightened the world: The earth trembled and shook.
19 Thy way is in the sea, And thy path in the great waters, And thy footsteps are not known.
20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock By the hand of Moses and Aaron. (Lament is both an act of worship and a means of leading us to worship.)
The opposites of lament are despair and prayerlessness, and they are often linked together as unbelief settles into the heart of a person in pain.
While laments may express deep emotions and ask painful questions, there is a difference between asking God and accusing God.
It is a sin to accuse God, as if you sit in judgment of Him.
Laments wrestle honestly with the tough tension related to the mystery of God’s plans and purposes.
Lamentations
Lamentations
Lamentations Gives Voice to Our Grief
Lamentations Gives Voice to Our Grief
Although we can’t draw a one-to-one application from Israel’s circumstances to ours, Lamentations can teach us to hear and speak the biblical language of lament, which is crucial to dealing with grief
Collection of five lament or “funeral” poems (poems of sorrow and mourning) that give voice to the grief of God’s people in the wake of Jerusalem’s fall and Judah’s demise in 587 BC.
The book mourns the day, warned of by the prophets, when God became like an enemy to Israel, giving them over to Babylon because of their chronic disregard for his covenant.
2 Chron 2 Kings 24-25, Jer 52 give you the facts; Lamentations gives you the emotions, emotions that are raw, honest, dark, and even volatile at times.
1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. 2 And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servants the prophets. 3 Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; 4 And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the Lord would not pardon. 5 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. 7 And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt. 8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother’s name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done. 10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it. 12 And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign. 13 And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said. 14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land. 15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. 17 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father’s brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah. 18 Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 20 For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 1 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. 2 And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. 4 And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king’s garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain. 5 And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him. 6 So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. 7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon. 8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: 9 And he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’s house burnt he with fire. 10 And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about. 11 Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carry away. 12 But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen. 13 And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the Lord, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon. 14 And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away. 15 And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away. 16 The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord; the brass of all these vessels was without weight. 17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it was brass: and the height of the chapiter three cubits; and the wreathen work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathen work. 18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door: 19 And out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king’s presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city: 20 And Nebuzar-adan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah: 21 And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land. 22 And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler. 23 And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Careah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men. 24 And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you. 25 But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah. 26 And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees. 27 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison; 28 And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon; 29 And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life. 30 And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.
1 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2 And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3 For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about. 5 So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 6 And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. 7 Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden; (now the Chaldeans were by the city round about:) and they went by the way of the plain. 8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. 9 Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him. 10 And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah. 11 Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death. 12 Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, 13 And burned the house of the Lord, and the king’s house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire: 14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about. 15 Then Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive certain of the poor of the people, and the residue of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude. 16 But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land for vinedressers and for husbandmen. 17 Also the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans brake, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon. 18 The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away. 19 And the basons, and the firepans, and the bowls, and the caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver, took the captain of the guard away. 20 The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the Lord: the brass of all these vessels was without weight. 21 And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow. 22 And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of one chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass. The second pillar also and the pomegranates were like unto these. 23 And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side; and all the pomegranates upon the network were an hundred round about. 24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door: 25 He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were near the king’s person, which were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city. 26 So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah. 27 And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land. 28 This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty: 29 In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons: 30 In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred. 31 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison, 32 And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, 33 And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life. 34 And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.
“Part of the horror of human suffering is to be unheard, forgotten and nameless, thrown aside…Lamentations is a summons to remember realities endured by real people like ourselves, to bear witness and pay heed to their voice” Christopher Wright
2 Chronicles 36:11–21 (KJV 1900)
11 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. 12 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord. 13 And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel. 14 Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. 15 And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: 16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy. 17 Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand. 18 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon. 19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. 20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: 21 To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
11 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.
12 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord.
13 And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel.
14 Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.
15 And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes (before time), and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
Do not miss the weight of the words “til there was no remedy.” The nation had strayed far enough and long enough. God had reached a point where He could no longer allow the nation to continue. The time for judgment had come.
17 Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.
18 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon.
19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.
20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:
21 To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
Jeremiah has a difficult assignment in life
Jeremiah has a difficult assignment in life
1 Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
We only know of two converts from his ministry.
God commanded him not to marry
His own people plotted to kill him.
Jerusalem personified as the “daughter of Zion”
Jerusalem personified as the “daughter of Zion”
Lamentations 1:1 “1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! How is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, And princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!”
1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! How is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, And princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
A widowed, childless, vulnerable woman who endured mistreatment, affliction, and starvation during the siege and capture of the city. (They were surrounded and begin to eat their own children)
The narrator and the “daughter of Zion” begin to “dialogue” in chapter one, allowing us to hear her express her pain.
She cries to all who pass by her, looking for comfort amidst her affliction, though none is found. She weeps with sorrow, her strength fails, she’s in distress, she groans continually, she cries to God, all to no avail. You can’t help but be moved by her pain and shame, even if it was the result of her sin.
Lamentations 1 (KJV 1900)
1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! How is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, And princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary! 2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: Among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: All her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies. 3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: She dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: All her persecutors overtook her between the straits. 4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: All her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, Her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. 5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; For the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: Her children are gone into captivity before the enemy. 6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: Her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, And they are gone without strength before the pursuer. 7 Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries All her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, When her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: The adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths. 8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: All that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: Yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward. 9 Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; Therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself. 10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: For she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, Whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation. 11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; They have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: See, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile. 12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see If there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, Wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. 13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: He hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: He hath made me desolate and faint all the day. 14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: They are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, The Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up. 15 The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: He hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: The Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress. 16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, Because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: My children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed. 17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: The Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them. 18 The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: Hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: My virgins and my young men are gone into captivity. 19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: My priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, While they sought their meat to relieve their souls. 20 Behold, O Lord; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; Mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: Abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death. 21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: All mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: Thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me. 22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; And do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! How is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, And princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: Among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: All her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: She dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: All her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: All her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, Her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; For the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: Her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: Her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, And they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
7 Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries All her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, When her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: The adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.
8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: All that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: Yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
9 Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; Therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.
10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: For she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, Whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; They have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: See, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile.
12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see If there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, Wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: He hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: He hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: They are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, The Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.
15 The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: He hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: The Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, Because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: My children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.
17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: The Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
18 The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: Hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: My virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: My priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, While they sought their meat to relieve their souls.
20 Behold, O Lord; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; Mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: Abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: All mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: Thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.
22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; And do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
Lament turns the heart toward worship and awakens slumbering hearts
Lament turns the heart toward worship and awakens slumbering hearts
Lament is the bridge between your pain and praise.
Lament is the bridge between your pain and praise.
Lament is how a painful heart is tuned to sing God’s song.
Lament is how we reorient our hearts away from anger, frustration, and despair.
Lament starts us on a faith-filled path of worship.
We should join all creation in groaning
We should join all creation in groaning
Romans 8:22 “22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Lament reminds us that there is something wrong with the world. And it points us to the one who can ultimately make everything right.
We understands the problem of sin and laments the effects of sins, we long for the day when sin will no longer have its horrific effects on this world.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Lamentations is appropriately dark, but it is not without hope.
Reminder at the darkest day in human history God was not absent. He had left His throne years in advance, lived a perfect like tempted like as we are, allowed them to place Him on the cross so that our story would not be without hope.
Hope has a name it is Jesus. Without Him in our story without hope. With him we have more than enough for today and eternity.