Lamentations
Lam 1:11 How
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Lam 1:11 [1] This book, written by Jeremiah, the weeping and lamenting prophet (2:11; 3:48; Jer. 9:1), contains five lamentations expressing Jeremiah’s sorrow and love for the holy city and the holy people of God. Jeremiah had prophesied concerning Israel’s destruction carried out under God’s governmental dealing, and he had also witnessed the destruction, devastation, contamination, capture, and ruin of the entire country, including Jerusalem. By God’s sovereignty Jeremiah was free from captivity (Jer. 40:1-6). According to history Jeremiah sat on a hill overlooking Jerusalem, viewing all the ruins below. He began to weep, and he could not avoid writing down his feelings.
Lam 1:11 [2] Jeremiah wrote his five lamentations in a very fine way. In Hebrew the first letter of each verse of chs. 1, 2, and 4 follows the order of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In ch. 3 every three verses form a group that begins with the same Hebrew letter, and the twenty-two groups formed follow the order of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Lam 1:2a comfort Lam. 1:9, 16-17, 21
Lam 1:3a Judah Jer. 52:27
Lam 1:3b nations Deut. 28:64-65; Lam. 2:9
Lam 1:5a head Deut. 28:43-44
Lam 1:5b captivity Jer. 52:28-30
Lam 1:71 wanderings
Or, miseries.
Lam 1:8a sinned 1 Kings 8:46
Lam 1:10a sanctuary Psa. 74:7; 79:1; Isa. 63:18; Jer. 51:51
Lam 1:10b assembly Deut. 23:3; Neh. 13:1; cf. Acts 21:28
Lam 1:15a winepress Isa. 63:3; Rev. 14:19-20
Lam 1:16a eye Jer. 9:1, 10; 13:17; 14:17; Lam. 2:18; 3:48-49
Lam 2:1a footstool 1 Chron. 28:2; Psa. 99:5; 132:7
Lam 2:5a enemy Isa. 63:10; Jer. 30:14
Lam 2:61 pavilion
Denoting the tabernacle.
Lam 2:8a line 2 Kings 21:13
Lam 2:9a king Deut. 28:36; 2 Kings 24:15; 25:7
Lam 2:9b prophets Psa. 74:9; Ezek. 7:26; Micah 3:6-7
Lam 2:11a tears Psa. 6:6-7; Lam. 1:16
Lam 2:14a prophets Jer. 2:8; 5:31; 14:14; Ezek. 13:2
Lam 2:17a purposed Lev. 26:16; Deut. 28:15
Lam 2:18a tears Jer. 14:17; Lam. 1:16
Lam 2:19a Lift Psa. 28:2; 134:2; 141:2
Lam 3:11 I
Although Jeremiah himself was not afflicted by God, he was one with God’s afflicted people. Thus, in his feeling, in his sympathy, he was suffering the same kind of affliction. This indicates that a servant of the Lord must learn how to identify himself with God’s people, regardless of the situation, and especially in a situation of affliction (cf. 2 Cor. 11:29).
Lam 3:191 wandering
Or, misery.
Lam 3:22a lovingkindness Ezra 9:8; Neh. 9:31; Psa. 78:38; Mal. 3:6
Lam 3:221 consumed
No matter how much He had punished Israel, God had not utterly consumed them. Jeremiah and many others remained. This was God’s lovingkindness. The people of Israel had failed, but God’s compassions did not fail. His compassions had preserved the remnant of Israel for the carrying out of His economy. See Jer. 23:5-6 and note 63.
Lam 3:22b compassions Psa. 86:15; Micah 7:19; Zech. 1:16; Luke 1:78; Rom. 12:1
Lam 3:231 every
This indicates that Jeremiah contacted the Lord as the compassionate One every morning. It was through his contact with the Lord that he received this word regarding God’s lovingkindness, compassions, and faithfulness.
Lam 3:232b faithfulness Psa. 36:5; 57:10; 100:5; 108:4; 117:2; 119:90
God’s compassions do not fail, because He is the faithful One. The faithfulness of God refers to His word and is also related to His covenant. Because He had made a covenant with Abraham and confirmed it with Isaac and Jacob (Gen. 15:1-21; 17:1-22; 26:1-4; 35:11-12), God had to be faithful to keep His word.
Lam 3:241a portion Psa. 16:5; 73:26
This word concerning Jehovah being our portion and our hoping in Him bears a New Testament flavor (Col. 1:12, 27). Jeremiah enjoyed Jehovah as his portion, and he put his hope not in himself nor in the people nor in anything else but only in Jehovah. On the one hand, Jeremiah realized that God is a God of lovingkindness, that He is compassionate, and that His word is faithful (vv. 22-23). On the other hand, Jeremiah realized that we still need to contact the Lord every morning, put our entire hope in Him, wait on Him, and call on His name (vv. 23-25, 55).
Lam 3:251a wait Psa. 130:6; Isa. 30:18
Although God is true, living, compassionate, and faithful, in order to test His people, He often delays in fulfilling His word. In Jeremiah’s case, the waiting on the Lord has been quite long. The fulfillment of his prophecies concerning the age of restoration has still not come. This indicates that we need to learn the lesson of waiting on the Lord. Today is not the time of the ultimate consummation; therefore, we must wait on the Lord.
Lam 3:30a cheek Isa. 50:6; Matt. 5:39; Luke 6:29
Lam 3:31a Cast Psa. 94:14
Lam 3:38a mouth Matt. 4:4; Rev. 19:21
Lam 3:38b evil Job 2:10; Isa. 45:7; Amos 3:6
Lam 3:40a turn Deut. 4:30
Lam 3:45a offscouring 1 Cor. 4:13
Lam 3:47a Fear Isa. 24:17; Jer. 48:43
Lam 3:551a called Psa. 130:1; Jonah 2:2; Rom. 10:12
See note 262 in Gen. 4.
Lam 3:64a You Psa. 28:4; cf. Jer. 11:20
Lam 3:66a under Deut. 25:19; Jer. 10:11
Lam 4:1a stones Matt. 24:2, 15
Lam 4:2a earthen Isa. 30:14; Jer. 19:11; cf. 2 Cor. 4:7
Lam 4:6a Sodom Gen. 19:25
Lam 4:8a darker Lam. 5:10; Joel 2:6; Nahum 2:10; cf. Rev. 6:5
Lam 4:13a blood Matt. 23:31, 35-37
Lam 4:15a Unclean Lev. 13:45
Lam 4:19a eagles Deut. 28:49; Jer. 4:13
Lam 4:20a anointed Jer. 39:5; 52:8; Ezek. 12:13
Lam 4:22a punishment Isa. 40:2
Lam 4:221 punish
Or, visit. Jeremiah wrote this lamentation altogether in a human way. His sympathy, his love, his sorrow, and his weeping were altogether human. Here his human feeling for Israel led him into human jealousy concerning Edom. Jeremiah was unhappy that Edom was enjoying peace while Israel was under God’s punishment. Therefore, according to his human feeling, he declared that God would punish the iniquity of Edom and uncover their sins.
Lam 4:22b Edom Psa. 137:7
Lam 5:1a Remember Psa. 89:50-51
Lam 5:2a inheritance Psa. 79:1
Lam 5:6a Egypt Hosea 7:11; 9:3; 12:1
Lam 5:18a Zion Psa. 74:2-3; Lam. 2:8; Micah 3:12
Lam 5:19a You Psa. 9:7; 102:12
Lam 5:191 abide
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Lam 5:191 [1] In vv. 1-18 Jeremiah was writing according to his personal, human feeling, but in this verse his position and angle were changed from himself to God. He refers here to God’s eternal being and His eternal and unchanging government. Jerusalem was overthrown, the temple was burned down, and God’s people were carried away, but Jehovah, the Lord of the universe, remains to exercise His administration.
Lam 5:191 [2] God’s eternal being and His throne are higher than His lovingkindness, compassions, and faithfulness (3:22-23). God’s lovingkindness and compassions can fluctuate, but God’s person and His government remain unchanging forever. In the New Jerusalem, God will be fully unveiled in His person as the eternal King and in His government as His eternal, unshakable kingdom (Heb. 12:28; Rev. 22:3), both of which are the unshakable foundation of His dealing with His people.
Lam 5:201 Why
Although in v. 19 Jeremiah’s expression is divine, in vv. 20-22 he reverts again to writing in a human way.
Lam 5:211a Turn Psa. 80:3, 7, 19; Jer. 31:18
This word, expressed as an imperative, indicates that Jeremiah considered that the responsibility for the turning of the children of Israel depended upon Jehovah. Although Jeremiah wrote here in a human way, his thought was correct. At the time of the Lord’s second coming, the Lord will turn to Israel and appear to them, and they will turn to Him and receive His household salvation (Zech. 12:10; Rom. 11:26; Rev. 1:7).
Lam 5:221 utterly
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Lam 5:221 [1] Jehovah had not utterly rejected Israel, nor was He exceedingly angry with them. But Israel needed to wait on Him until the time of restoration (Matt. 19:28; Acts 3:21), when He will restore the children of Israel to be in His person and in His eternal kingdom to enjoy what He had promised to their forefathers. See note 251 in ch. 3.
Lam 5:221 [2] In vv. 20-22 Jeremiah speaks to Jehovah a challenging word, even a commanding and reproving word. However, Jehovah did not answer him but remained silent. All Jeremiah’s challenges and questions are answered in the following books of the Bible. The consummation of this answer will be the New Jerusalem. Hence, Jeremiah must wait until the New Testament age, until the age of the millennial kingdom, and until the New Jerusalem. Then he will be fully satisfied.