Lamentations 1: A City Weeping, A Nation in Despair
How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.
Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.
The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile.
Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.
The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.
Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.
Behold, O Lord; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.
Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
Lamentations 1 plunges us into the heart of Jerusalem's devastation, a poignant image of divine judgment upon a once-glorious city. It serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the profound sorrow that accompanies turning away from God. The book opens with a scene of utter desolation, depicting Jerusalem as a forsaken widow, stripped of her splendor and left to weep inconsolably. Understanding the context—Jerusalem's destruction and the exile of its people following decades of ignored warnings from the Lord through prophets like Jeremiah—is crucial to grasping the depth of the lament.
From Princess to Pauper (Lamentations 1:1-4)
The chapter begins with a jarring contrast: Jerusalem, formerly a "princess" among cities, is now reduced to a "widow," a symbol of poverty and utter destitution (Lamentations 1:1). The vibrant, bustling city is now a scene of solitary weeping. Night, typically a time for rest, becomes a period of bitter lament as she finds no one to comfort her. The very nations who once sought her favor now turn away. This isolation is particularly heartbreaking, highlighting the complete abandonment Jerusalem experiences. The "lovers" she pursued—the false gods of Judah—have betrayed her, becoming her enemies as her people are dragged away in chains to Babylon (Lamentations 1:2). The exile is not merely a physical relocation; it is a harsh enslavement, a forced labor that grinds the spirit and breaks the will (Lamentations 1:3). This section emphasizes the complete reversal of Jerusalem's fortunes, a direct result of her spiritual infidelity.
The Vanishing Splendor (Lamentations 1:5-11)
The lament continues, emphasizing the loss of everything that once defined Jerusalem's greatness. "All her splendor has vanished" (Lamentations 1:6) – a sobering statement reflecting the totality of the destruction. What was once a breathtaking sight (Lamentations 1:7) is now a scene of ruin. Precious belongings are either plundered by the enemy or bartered for meager sustenance (Lamentations 1:7, 10-11). Those who once honored Jerusalem now despise her, and she herself groans under the weight of her suffering (Lamentations 1:8). While Jeremiah is deeply pained by this calamity, he recognizes the root cause: "The LORD has made her suffer because of her many transgressions" (Lamentations 1:5). Despite repeated warnings from numerous prophets, Jerusalem persisted in her sin (Lamentations 1:8), leading to an astonishing downfall (Lamentations 1:9) that shocked both the Jews, who had falsely assumed their righteousness, and the surrounding nations. The image of Jerusalem "lying in the gutter" reflects a people who prostituted themselves with foreign gods, turning away from the light of God's word to follow the dark path of evil. The city is now like a discarded woman, abandoned by her lovers (Lamentations 1:8-9).
Jerusalem's Plea (Lamentations 1:12-22)
The second half of Lamentations 1 shifts perspective, giving the city of Jerusalem a voice. Personified as a grieving woman, Jerusalem cries out to the surrounding nations, seeking compassion amidst her overwhelming destruction (Lamentations 1:12). Yet, her plea goes unanswered; repeatedly, she laments that "no one will comfort her" (Lamentations 1:16-17, 21). Among the vivid metaphors used to describe Jerusalem's judgment, one stands out: "My transgressions have been formed into a yoke, fastened together by his hand" (Lamentations 1:14). This powerful image echoes Jeremiah's earlier prophecy of the "yoke of Babylon" (Jeremiah 27:1-11), warning King Zedekiah that Judah would serve Nebuchadnezzar. Jerusalem acknowledges the justice of God's judgment, confessing, "The LORD is just, for I have rebelled against his command" (Lamentations 1:18). She recognizes that her suffering is a direct consequence of her transgressions (Lamentations 1:22). In her despair, Jerusalem pleads for God's mercy and vindication against her enemies, who gloat over her devastation (Lamentations 1:20-21).
Lamentations 1 is a sobering reminder of the consequences of sin and the importance of heeding God's warnings. It is a chapter filled with grief, but also with a glimmer of hope as Jerusalem turns to God in her distress. While the immediate context is the destruction of Jerusalem, the themes of repentance, judgment, and the need for God's mercy resonate throughout history and continue to speak to us today. The chapter invites us to examine our own lives, to ensure that we are not turning away from God's path and inviting similar consequences. It also offers a message of hope: even in the darkest of times, God is just, and He hears the cries of those who turn to Him in repentance.
How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.
Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.
The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile.
Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.
The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.
Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.
Behold, O Lord; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.
Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
Lamentations 1 plunges us into the heart of Jerusalem's devastation, a poignant image of divine judgment upon a once-glorious city. It serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the profound sorrow that accompanies turning away from God. The book opens with a scene of utter desolation, depicting Jerusalem as a forsaken widow, stripped of her splendor and left to weep inconsolably. Understanding the context—Jerusalem's destruction and the exile of its people following decades of ignored warnings from the Lord through prophets like Jeremiah—is crucial to grasping the depth of the lament.
From Princess to Pauper (Lamentations 1:1-4)
The chapter begins with a jarring contrast: Jerusalem, formerly a "princess" among cities, is now reduced to a "widow," a symbol of poverty and utter destitution (Lamentations 1:1). The vibrant, bustling city is now a scene of solitary weeping. Night, typically a time for rest, becomes a period of bitter lament as she finds no one to comfort her. The very nations who once sought her favor now turn away. This isolation is particularly heartbreaking, highlighting the complete abandonment Jerusalem experiences. The "lovers" she pursued—the false gods of Judah—have betrayed her, becoming her enemies as her people are dragged away in chains to Babylon (Lamentations 1:2). The exile is not merely a physical relocation; it is a harsh enslavement, a forced labor that grinds the spirit and breaks the will (Lamentations 1:3). This section emphasizes the complete reversal of Jerusalem's fortunes, a direct result of her spiritual infidelity.
The Vanishing Splendor (Lamentations 1:5-11)
The lament continues, emphasizing the loss of everything that once defined Jerusalem's greatness. "All her splendor has vanished" (Lamentations 1:6) – a sobering statement reflecting the totality of the destruction. What was once a breathtaking sight (Lamentations 1:7) is now a scene of ruin. Precious belongings are either plundered by the enemy or bartered for meager sustenance (Lamentations 1:7, 10-11). Those who once honored Jerusalem now despise her, and she herself groans under the weight of her suffering (Lamentations 1:8). While Jeremiah is deeply pained by this calamity, he recognizes the root cause: "The LORD has made her suffer because of her many transgressions" (Lamentations 1:5). Despite repeated warnings from numerous prophets, Jerusalem persisted in her sin (Lamentations 1:8), leading to an astonishing downfall (Lamentations 1:9) that shocked both the Jews, who had falsely assumed their righteousness, and the surrounding nations. The image of Jerusalem "lying in the gutter" reflects a people who prostituted themselves with foreign gods, turning away from the light of God's word to follow the dark path of evil. The city is now like a discarded woman, abandoned by her lovers (Lamentations 1:8-9).
Jerusalem's Plea (Lamentations 1:12-22)
The second half of Lamentations 1 shifts perspective, giving the city of Jerusalem a voice. Personified as a grieving woman, Jerusalem cries out to the surrounding nations, seeking compassion amidst her overwhelming destruction (Lamentations 1:12). Yet, her plea goes unanswered; repeatedly, she laments that "no one will comfort her" (Lamentations 1:16-17, 21). Among the vivid metaphors used to describe Jerusalem's judgment, one stands out: "My transgressions have been formed into a yoke, fastened together by his hand" (Lamentations 1:14). This powerful image echoes Jeremiah's earlier prophecy of the "yoke of Babylon" (Jeremiah 27:1-11), warning King Zedekiah that Judah would serve Nebuchadnezzar. Jerusalem acknowledges the justice of God's judgment, confessing, "The LORD is just, for I have rebelled against his command" (Lamentations 1:18). She recognizes that her suffering is a direct consequence of her transgressions (Lamentations 1:22). In her despair, Jerusalem pleads for God's mercy and vindication against her enemies, who gloat over her devastation (Lamentations 1:20-21).
Lamentations 1 is a sobering reminder of the consequences of sin and the importance of heeding God's warnings. It is a chapter filled with grief, but also with a glimmer of hope as Jerusalem turns to God in her distress. While the immediate context is the destruction of Jerusalem, the themes of repentance, judgment, and the need for God's mercy resonate throughout history and continue to speak to us today. The chapter invites us to examine our own lives, to ensure that we are not turning away from God's path and inviting similar consequences. It also offers a message of hope: even in the darkest of times, God is just, and He hears the cries of those who turn to Him in repentance.