Lamentations 3

1 I am a man who has seen the suffering that comes from the rod of the Lord's anger.

2 He led me into darkness, not light.

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

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

5 He surrounded me with sadness and attacked me with grief.

6 He made me sit in the dark, like those who have been dead a long time.

7 He shut me in so I could not get out; he put heavy chains on me.

8 I cry out and beg for help, but he ignores my prayer.

9 He blocked my way with a stone wall and led me in the wrong direction.

10 He is like a bear ready to attack me, like a lion in hiding.

11 He led me the wrong way and let me stray and left me without help.

12 He prepared to shoot his bow and made me the target for his arrows.

13 He shot me in the kidneys with the arrows from his bag.

14 I was a joke to all my people, who make fun of me with songs all day long.

15 The Lord filled me with misery; he made me drunk with suffering.

16 He broke my teeth with gravel and trampled me into the dirt.

17 I have no more peace. I have forgotten what happiness is.

18 I said, "My strength is gone, and I have no hope in the Lord."

19 Lord, remember my suffering and my misery, my sorrow and trouble.

20 Please remember me and think about me.

21 But I have hope when I think of this:

22 The Lord's love never ends; his mercies never stop.

23 They are new every morning; Lord, your loyalty is great.

24 I say to myself, "The Lord is mine, so I hope in him."

25 The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to those who seek him.

26 It is good to wait quietly for the Lord to save.

27 It is good for someone to work hard while he is young.

28 He should sit alone and be quiet; the Lord has given him hard work to do.

29 He should bow down to the ground; maybe there is still hope.

30 He should let anyone slap his cheek; he should be filled with shame.

31 The Lord will not reject his people forever.

32 Although he brings sorrow, he also has mercy and great love.

33 He does not like to punish people or make them sad.

34 He sees if any prisoner of the earth is crushed under his feet;

35 he sees if someone is treated unfairly before the Most High God;

36 the Lord sees if someone is cheated in his case in court.

37 Nobody can speak and have it happen unless the Lord commands it.

38 Both bad and good things come by the command of the Most High God.

39 No one should complain when he is punished for his sins.

40 Let us examine and see what we have done and then return to the Lord.

41 Let us lift up our hands and pray from our hearts to God in heaven:

42 "We have sinned and turned against you, and you have not forgiven us.

43 "You wrapped yourself in anger and chased us; you killed us without mercy.

44 You wrapped yourself in a cloud, and no prayer could get through.

45 You made us like scum and trash among the other nations.

46 "All of our enemies open their mouths and speak against us.

47 We have been frightened and fearful, ruined and destroyed."

48 Streams of tears flow from my eyes, because my people are destroyed.

49 My tears flow continually, without stopping,

50 until the Lord looks down and sees from heaven.

51 I am sad when I see what has happened to all the women of my city.

52 Those who are my enemies for no reason hunted me like a bird.

53 They tried to kill me in a pit; they threw stones at me.

54 Water came up over my head, and I said, "I am going to die."

55 I called out to you, Lord, from the bottom of the pit.

56 You heard me calling, "Do not close your ears and ignore my gasps and shouts."

57 You came near when I called to you; you said, "Don't be afraid."

58 Lord, you have taken my case and given me back my life.

59 Lord, you have seen how I have been wronged. Now judge my case for me.

60 You have seen how my enemies took revenge on me and made evil plans against me.

61 Lord, you have heard their insults and all their evil plans against me.

62 The words and thoughts of my enemies are against me all the time.

63 Look! In everything they do they make fun of me with songs.

64 Pay them back, Lord, for what they have done.

65 Make them stubborn, and put your curse on them.

66 Chase them in anger, Lord, and destroy them from under your heavens.

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.

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.