Lamentaciones 3

1 Yo soy el hombre que ha visto la aflicción bajo la vara de su furor.

2 El me ha llevado y me ha hecho andar en tinieblas y no en luz.

3 Ciertamente contra mí ha vuelto y revuelto su mano todo el día.

4 Ha hecho que se consuman mi carne y mi piel, ha quebrado mis huesos.

5 Me ha sitiado y rodeado de amargura y de fatiga.

6 En lugares tenebrosos me ha hecho morar, como los que han muerto hace tiempo.

7 Con muro me ha cercado y no puedo salir, ha hecho pesadas mis cadenas.

8 Aun cuando clamo y pido auxilio, El cierra el paso a mi oración.

9 Ha cerrado mis caminos con piedra labrada, ha hecho tortuosos mis senderos.

10 El es para mí como oso en acecho, como león en lugares ocultos.

11 Ha desviado mis caminos y me ha destrozado, me ha dejado desolado.

12 Ha entesado su arco y me ha puesto como blanco de la flecha.

13 Hizo que penetraran en mis entrañas las flechas de su aljaba.

14 He venido a ser objeto de burla de todo mi pueblo, su copla todo el día.

15 El me ha llenado de amargura, me ha embriagado con ajenjo.

16 Ha quebrado con guijarro mis dientes, ha hecho que me revuelque en el polvo.

17 Y mi alma ha sido privada de la paz, he olvidado la felicidad.

18 Digo, pues: Ha perecido mi vigor, y mi esperanza que venía del SEÑOR.

19 Acuérdate de mi aflicción y de mi vagar, del ajenjo y de la amargura.

20 Ciertamente lo recuerda y se abate mi alma dentro de mí.

21 Esto traigo a mi corazón, por esto tengo esperanza:

22 Que las misericordias del SEÑOR jamás terminan , pues nunca fallan sus bondades;

23 son nuevas cada mañana; ¡grande es tu fidelidad!

24 El SEÑOR es mi porcióndice mi alma por eso en El espero.

25 Bueno es el SEÑOR para los que en El esperan, para el alma que le busca.

26 Bueno es esperar en silencio la salvación del SEÑOR.

27 Bueno es para el hombre llevar el yugo en su juventud.

28 Que se siente solo y en silencio ya que El se lo ha impuesto;

29 que ponga su boca en el polvo, quizá haya esperanza;

30 que dé la mejilla al que lo hiere; que se sacie de oprobios.

31 Porque no rechaza para siempre el Señor,

32 antes bien, si aflige, también se compadecerá según su gran misericordia.

33 Porque El no castiga por gusto, ni aflige a los hijos de los hombres.

34 Aplastar bajo los pies a todos los prisioneros de un país,

35 privar del derecho a un hombre en presencia del Altísimo,

36 defraudar a un hombre en su litigio: estas cosas no aprueba el Señor.

37 ¿Quién es aquel que habla y así sucede, a menos que el Señor lo haya ordenado?

38 ¿No salen de la boca del Altísimo tanto el mal como el bien?

39 ¿Por qué ha de quejarse el ser viviente? ¡Sea valiente frente a sus pecados!

40 Examinemos nuestros caminos y escudriñémoslos, y volvamos al SEÑOR;

41 alcemos nuestro corazón en nuestras manos hacia Dios en los cielos.

42 Nosotros hemos transgredido y nos hemos rebelado; tú no has perdonado.

43 Te has cubierto de ira y nos has perseguido; has matado y no has perdonado.

44 Te has cubierto de una nube para que no pase la oración.

45 Basura y escoria nos has hecho en medio de los pueblos.

46 Han abierto su boca contra nosotros todos nuestros enemigos.

47 Terror y foso nos han sobrevenido, desolación y destrucción.

48 Arroyos de agua derraman mis ojos a causa de la destrucción de la hija de mi pueblo.

49 Mis ojos fluyen sin cesar, ya que no hay descanso

50 hasta que mire y vea el SEÑOR desde los cielos.

51 Mis ojos causan dolor a mi alma por todas las hijas de mi ciudad.

52 Constantemente me han dado caza como a un ave mis enemigos, sin haber causa;

53 silenciaron mi vida en la fosa, pusieron piedra sobre mí.

54 Cubrieron las aguas mi cabeza, dije: ¡Estoy perdido!

55 Invoqué tu nombre, oh SEÑOR, desde la fosa más profunda.

56 Tú oíste mi voz: No escondas tu oído a mi clamor, a mi grito de auxilio.

57 Te acercaste el día que te invoqué, dijiste: No temas.

58 Tú has defendido, oh Señor, la causa de mi alma, tú has redimido mi vida.

59 Tú has visto, oh Señor, mi opresión, juzga mi causa.

60 Has visto toda su venganza, todas sus tramas contra mí.

61 Has oído sus oprobios, oh SEÑOR, todas sus tramas contra mí;

62 los labios de mis agresores y sus murmuraciones están contra mí todo el día.

63 Se sienten o se levanten, míralos, yo soy el objeto de su copla.

64 Tú les darás su pago, oh SEÑOR, conforme a la obra de sus manos.

65 Les darás dureza de corazón, tu maldición será sobre ellos.

66 Los perseguirás con ira y los destruirás de debajo de los cielos del SEÑOR.

Lamentaciones 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The faithful lament their calamities, and hope in God's mercies.

Verses 1-20 The prophet relates the more gloomy and discouraging part of his experience, and how he found support and relief. In the time of his trial the Lord had become terrible to him. It was an affliction that was misery itself; for sin makes the cup of affliction a bitter cup. The struggle between unbelief and faith is often very severe. But the weakest believer is wrong, if he thinks that his strength and hope are perished from the Lord.

Verses 21-36 Having stated his distress and temptation, the prophet shows how he was raised above it. Bad as things are, it is owing to the mercy of God that they are not worse. We should observe what makes for us, as well as what is against us. God's compassions fail not; of this we have fresh instances every morning. Portions on earth are perishing things, but God is a portion for ever. It is our duty, and will be our comfort and satisfaction, to hope and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. Afflictions do and will work very much for good: many have found it good to bear this yoke in their youth; it has made many humble and serious, and has weaned them from the world, who otherwise would have been proud and unruly. If tribulation work patience, that patience will work experience, and that experience a hope that makes not ashamed. Due thoughts of the evil of sin, and of our own sinfulness, will convince us that it is of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed. If we cannot say with unwavering voice, The Lord is my portion; may we not say, I desire to have Him for my portion and salvation, and in his word do I hope? Happy shall we be, if we learn to receive affliction as laid upon us by the hand of God.

Verses 37-41 While there is life there is hope; and instead of complaining that things are bad, we should encourage ourselves with the hope they will be better. We are sinful men, and what we complain of, is far less than our sins deserve. We should complain to God, and not of him. We are apt, in times of calamity, to reflect on other people's ways, and blame them; but our duty is to search and try our own ways, that we may turn from evil to God. Our hearts must go with our prayers. If inward impressions do not answer to outward expressions, we mock God, and deceive ourselves.

Verses 42-54 The more the prophet looked on the desolations, the more he was grieved. Here is one word of comfort. While they continued weeping, they continued waiting; and neither did nor would expect relief and succour from any but the Lord.

Verses 55-66 Faith comes off conqueror, for in these verses the prophet concludes with some comfort. Prayer is the breath of the new man, drawing in the air of mercy in petitions, and returning it in praises; it proves and maintains the spiritual life. He silenced their fears, and quieted their spirits. Thou saidst, Fear not. This was the language of God's grace, by the witness of his Spirit with their spirits. And what are all our sorrows, compared with those of the Redeemer? He will deliver his people from every trouble, and revive his church from every persecution. He will save believers with everlasting salvation, while his enemies perish with everlasting destruction.

Footnotes

• [a]. As en un ms., el Targum y la versin siriaca; en heb., porque no somos consumidos

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO LAMENTATIONS 3

This chapter is a complaint and lamentation like the former, and on the same subject, only the prophet mixes his own afflictions and distresses with the public calamities; or else he represents the church in her complaints; and some have thought him to be a type of Christ throughout the whole; to whom various things may be applied. It is indeed written in a different form from the other chapters, in another sort of metre; and though in an alphabetical manner as the rest, yet with this difference, that three verses together begin with the same letter; so that the alphabet is gone through three times in it. Here is first a complaint of the afflictions of the prophet, and of the people, expressed by a rod, by darkness, by wormwood and gall, and many other things; and especially by the Lord's appearing against them as an enemy, in a most severe and terrible manner; shutting out their prayer; being as a bear and lion to them; and giving them up to the cruelty and scorn of their enemies, La 3:1-21; then follows some comfort taken by them, from the mercy, faithfulness, and goodness of God; from the usefulness of patience in bearing afflictions; and from the end of God in laying them upon men; and from the providence of God, by which all things are ordered, La 3:22-38; wherefore, instead of complaining, it would be better, it is suggested, to attend to the duties of examination of their ways, and of repentance, and of prayer, La 3:39-41; and a particular prayer is directed to, in which confession of sin is made, and their miseries deplored, by reason of the hidings of God's face, and the insults of their enemies, La 3:42-47; and then the prophet expresses his sympathy with his people under affliction, and declares what he himself met with from his enemies, La 3:48-54; and relates bow he called upon the Lord, and he heard and delivered him, La 3:55-58; and concludes with a request that he would judge his cause, and avenge him on enemies, La 3:59-66.