Lamentations 3

1 I am the one who has seen the afflictions that come from the rod of the LORD ’s anger.

2 He has led me into darkness, shutting out all light.

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

4 He has made my skin and flesh grow old. He has broken my bones.

5 He has besieged and surrounded me with anguish and distress.

6 He has buried me in a dark place, like those long dead.

7 He has walled me in, and I cannot escape. He has bound me in heavy chains.

8 And though I cry and shout, he has shut out my prayers.

9 He has blocked my way with a high stone wall; he has made my road crooked.

10 He has hidden like a bear or a lion, waiting to attack me.

11 He has dragged me off the path and torn me in pieces, leaving me helpless and devastated.

12 He has drawn his bow and made me the target for his arrows.

13 He shot his arrows deep into my heart.

14 My own people laugh at me. All day long they sing their mocking songs.

15 He has filled me with bitterness and given me a bitter cup of sorrow to drink.

16 He has made me chew on gravel. He has rolled me in the dust.

17 Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is.

18 I cry out, “My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!”

19 The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words.

20 I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.

21 Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:

22 The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease.

23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”

25 The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.

26 So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD .

27 And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline:

28 Let them sit alone in silence beneath the LORD ’s demands.

29 Let them lie face down in the dust, for there may be hope at last.

30 Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them and accept the insults of their enemies.

31 For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever.

32 Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love.

33 For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.

34 If people crush underfoot all the prisoners of the land,

35 if they deprive others of their rights in defiance of the Most High,

36 if they twist justice in the courts— doesn’t the Lord see all these things?

37 Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission?

38 Does not the Most High send both calamity and good?

39 Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins?

40 Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the LORD .

41 Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven and say,

42 “We have sinned and rebelled, and you have not forgiven us.

43 “You have engulfed us with your anger, chased us down, and slaughtered us without mercy.

44 You have hidden yourself in a cloud so our prayers cannot reach you.

45 You have discarded us as refuse and garbage among the nations.

46 “All our enemies have spoken out against us.

47 We are filled with fear, for we are trapped, devastated, and ruined.”

48 Tears stream from my eyes because of the destruction of my people!

49 My tears flow endlessly; they will not stop

50 until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees.

51 My heart is breaking over the fate of all the women of Jerusalem.

52 My enemies, whom I have never harmed, hunted me down like a bird.

53 They threw me into a pit and dropped stones on me.

54 The water rose over my head, and I cried out, “This is the end!”

55 But I called on your name, LORD, from deep within the pit.

56 You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading! Hear my cry for help!”

57 Yes, you came when I called; you told me, “Do not fear.”

58 Lord, you are my lawyer! Plead my case! For you have redeemed my life.

59 You have seen the wrong they have done to me, LORD . Be my judge, and prove me right.

60 You have seen the vengeful plots my enemies have laid against me.

61 LORD, you have heard the vile names they call me. You know all about the plans they have made.

62 My enemies whisper and mutter as they plot against me all day long.

63 Look at them! Whether they sit or stand, I am the object of their mocking songs.

64 Pay them back, LORD, for all the evil they have done.

65 Give them hard and stubborn hearts, and then let your curse fall on them!

66 Chase them down in your anger, destroying them beneath the LORD ’s 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or is wormwood and gall.
• [b]. As in Syriac version; Hebrew reads of the keeps us from 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.