Lamentations 3:52-62

52 ¹"I have been hunted ²like a bird by those who were my enemies ³without cause;

53 ⁴they flung me alive into the pit ⁵and cast stones on me;

54 ⁶water closed over my head; I said, ⁷'I am lost.'

55 ⁸"I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit;

56 ⁹you heard my plea, 'Do not close your ear to my cry for help!'

57 ¹⁰You came near when I called on you; you said, ¹¹'Do not fear!'

58 "You have ¹²taken up my cause, ¹³O Lord; you have ¹⁴redeemed my life.

59 You have seen the wrong done to me, ¹⁵O LORD; judge my cause.

60 You have seen all their vengeance, all ¹⁶their plots against me.

61 ¹⁷"You have heard their taunts, O LORD, all ¹⁸their plots against me.

62 The lips and thoughts ¹⁹of my assailants are against me all the day long.

Lamentations 3:52-62 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References

• 1. Lamentations 4:18
• 2. Psalms 11:1
• 3. See Psalms 35:19
• 4. Jeremiah 37:16; Jeremiah 38:6, 9, 10
• 5. [Daniel 6:17]
• 6. Psalms 69:2
• 7. Psalms 88:5; [Ezekiel 37:11]
• 8. Psalms 130:1
• 9. [Psalms 130:2]
• 10. [James 4:8]
• 11. See Joshua 1:9
• 12. Psalms 119:154
• 13. [1 Samuel 24:15]
• 14. Psalms 119:154
• 15. Psalms 35:22, 23
• 16. See Jeremiah 11:19
• 17. Lamentations 5:1
• 18. [See ver. 60 above]
• 19. Psalms 18:39, 48