Lamentations 3

An individual’s complaint

1 I am someone^[a] who saw the suffering caused by God's^[b] angry rod.

2 He drove me away, forced me to walk in darkness, not light.

3 He turned his hand even against me, over and over again, all day long.

4 He wore out my flesh and my skin; he broke my bones.

5 He besieged me, surrounding me with bitterness and weariness.

6 He made me live in dark places like those who've been dead a long time.

7 He walled me in so I couldn't escape; he made my chains heavy.

8 Even though I call out and cry for help, he silences my prayer.

9 He walled in my paths with stonework; he made my routes crooked.

10 He is a bear lurking for me, a lion in hiding.

11 He took me from my path^[c] and tore me apart; he made me desolate.

12 He drew back his bow, made me a shooting target for arrows.

13 He shot the arrows of his quiver into my inside parts.

14 I have become a joke to all my people, the object of their song of ridicule all day long.

15 He saturated me with grief, made me choke on bitterness.

16 He crushed my teeth into the gravel; he pressed me down into the ashes.

17 I've rejected peace; I've forgotten what is good.

18 I thought: My future is gone, as well as my hope from the LORD.

19 The memory of my suffering and homelessness is bitterness and poison.

20 I can't help but remember and am depressed.

21 I call all this to mind—therefore, I will wait.

22 Certainly the faithful love of the LORD hasn't ended; certainly God's compassion isn't through!

23 They are renewed every morning. Great is your faithfulness.

24 I think: The LORD is my portion! Therefore, I'll wait for him.

25 The LORD is good to those who hope in him, to the person who seeks him.

26 It's good to wait in silence for the LORD's deliverance.

27 It's good for a man to carry a yoke in his youth.

28 He should sit alone and be silent when God lays it on him.

29 He should put his mouth in the dirt—perhaps there is hope.

30 He should offer his cheek for a blow; he should be filled with shame.

31 My Lord definitely won't reject forever.

32 Although he has caused grief, he will show compassion in measure with his covenant loyalty.

33 He definitely doesn't enjoy affliction, making humans suffer.

34 Now crushing underfoot all the earth's prisoners,

35 denying someone justice before the Most High,

36 subverting a person's lawsuit—doesn't my Lord see all this?

37 Who ever spoke and it happened if my Lord hadn't commanded the same?

38 From the mouth of the Most High evil things don't come, but rather good!

39 Why then does any living person complain; why should anyone complain about their sins?

40 We must search and examine our ways; we must return to the LORD.

41 We should lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven.

42 We are the ones who did wrong; we rebelled. But you, God, have not forgiven.

43 You wrapped yourself up in wrath and hunted us; you killed, showing no compassion.

44 You wrapped yourself up in a cloud; prayers can't make it through!

45 You made us trash and garbage in front of all other people.

46 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.

47 Terror and trap have come upon us, catastrophe and collapse!

48 Streams of water pour from my eyes because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.

49 My eyes flow and don't stop. There is no relief

50 until the LORD looks down from the heavens and notices.

51 My eyes hurt me because of what's happened to my city's daughters.

52 My enemies hunted me down like a bird, relentlessly, for no reason.

53 They caught me alive in a pit and threw stones at me;

54 water flowed over my head. I thought: I'm finished.

55 I call on your name, LORD, from the depths of the pit.

56 Hear my voice. Don't close your ear to my need for relief, to my cry for help.

57 Come near to me on the day I call to you. Say to me, "Don't be afraid."

58 My Lord! Plead my desperate case; redeem my life.

59 LORD, look at my mistreatment; judge my cause.

60 Look at all of my enemies' vengeance, all of their scheming against me.

61 Hear their jeering, LORD, all of their scheming against me,

62 the speech of those who rise up against me, their incessant gossiping about me.

63 Whether sitting or standing, look at how I am the object of their song of ridicule.

64 Pay them back fully, LORD, according to what they have done.

65 Give them a tortured mind—put your curse on them!

66 Angrily hunt them down; wipe them out from under the LORD's heaven.

Lamentations 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]. Or the man; also in 3:27, 35, 39
• [b]. Or his
• [c]. Heb uncertain
• [d]. Or my spirit; also in 3:20, 24, 25, 51, 58
• [e]. Or My spirit can’t help but remember and is depressed
• [f]. Tg, Syr, and other ancient sources; MT we aren’t finished.
• [g]. Or My spirit thinks
• [h]. Or spirit
• [i]. Or Because my Lord won’t reject forever
• [j]. Heb He does not afflict from his heart.
• [k]. Or my spirit
• [l]. Or You didn’t close your ear.
• [m]. Or You have heard my voice.
• [n]. Or my spirit’s case or my spirit’s grievance

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.