Lamentations 3:52-62

52 Mine enemies took me without cause, by hunting (me) as a bird. (My enemies had no reason to be against me, yet they hunted me down like a bird.)

53 My life slid into a pit; and they putted a stone on me.

54 Waters flowed over mine head; I said, I perish.

55 Lord, I called to help thy name, from the last pit. (Lord, I called thy name for help, from the deepest pit/from the bottom of the pit.)

56 Thou heardest my voice; turn thou not away thine ear from my sobbing and cries.

57 Thou nighedest to me in the day, wherein I called thee to help; thou saidest, Dread thou not. (Thou came to me on the day, when I called to thee for help; thou saidest, Fear thou not.)

58 Lord, again-buyer of my life, thou deemedest the cause of my soul. (Lord, the Redeemer of my life, thou hast pleaded the cause of my soul/thou hast pleaded my soul's case.)

59 Lord, thou sawest the wickedness of them against me; deem thou my doom (judge thou my judgement/judge thou my justice).

60 Thou sawest all the strong vengeance, all the thoughts of them against me.

61 Lord, thou heardest the shames of them (Lord, thou heardest their abuse); all the thoughts of them against me.

62 The lips of men rising against me, and the thoughts of them against me all 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.