Lamentations 2: A Nation's Grief, A Call to Repentance
How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!
The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof.
He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.
He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire.
The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.
And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the Lord hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.
The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary, he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have made a noise in the house of the Lord, as in the day of a solemn feast.
The Lord hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: he hath stretched out a line, he hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together.
Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more; her prophets also find no vision from the Lord.
The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.
Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.
They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers’ bosom.
What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?
Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.
All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.
The Lord hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.
Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.
Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.
Behold, O Lord, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?
The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied.
Thou hast called as in a solemn day my terrors round about, so that in the day of the Lord’s anger none escaped nor remained: those that I have swaddled and brought up hath mine enemy consumed.
Lamentations 2 offers a stark and heart-wrenching portrayal of Jerusalem's destruction, not merely as a historical event, but as a direct consequence of God's righteous judgment. Through Jeremiah's poignant words, we witness the depths of Judah's suffering and the urgent need for repentance. This chapter serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the enduring hope found in returning to God.
God's Wrath and Judah's Ruin (2:1-5)
Jeremiah vividly depicts the devastation inflicted upon Jerusalem, emphasizing that this was not simply a military defeat, but the result of God's active judgment. The Babylonians are almost secondary; the focus is on God who "overshadowed... swallowed up... demolished... cut off... and destroyed Judah" (Lamentations 2:1-5). This destruction stems from His "wrath and burning anger" against His people. The phrase "the Lord cut off every horn of Israel" (Lamentations 2:3) symbolizes the removal of all sources of strength and security – fortified cities, leaders, and any semblance of power. God rendered them as vulnerable as children before their enemies. This imagery underscores the completeness of Judah's downfall and the utter helplessness of its people.
The Desecration of the Temple and Failure of Leadership (2:6-10)
Perhaps the most devastating aspect of the destruction was the desecration of the temple (Lamentations 2:6). This holy place, chosen by God as His dwelling, was ultimately abandoned due to Israel's idolatry. As God had warned, He banished the temple from His presence (2 Chronicles 7:16, 19-20).
The rejection extended to the religious practices and leadership. God abolished appointed festivals and Sabbaths in Zion and despised king and priest alike (Lamentations 2:6). These festivals had become empty rituals, devoid of genuine devotion. The kings and priests had failed to provide spiritual guidance. Even the prophets received no vision from the Lord (Lamentations 2:9), signifying a complete breakdown of spiritual leadership at all levels – king, priest, and prophet. The people were left in silent mourning, clothed in sackcloth and covered in dust (Lamentations 2:10), symbolic acts of profound grief (Job 16:15; Nehemiah 9:1).
Jeremiah's Grief and the People's Sin (2:11-14)
Jeremiah, witnessing the suffering of his people, is overwhelmed with sorrow. He cannot stop weeping as he sees hungry children crying for food, their mothers unable to provide (Lamentations 2:11-12). However, amidst this pain, Jeremiah does not lose sight of the underlying cause: God's judgment for their sin. This realization is crucial for the people to understand, so they can repent and avoid repeating their mistakes.
Jeremiah condemns the lying prophets who failed to expose the people's iniquity. Instead, they told the kings and the people what they wanted to hear (Lamentations 2:14), contributing to their downfall. These false prophets, such as Pashhur, Hananiah, Ahab, Zedekiah, and Shemaiah (Jeremiah 20:1-6; 28:1-17; 29:21-32), prioritized popularity over truth, leading the nation astray.
God's Sovereignty and the Call to Repentance (2:15-22)
Judah's enemies mocked and scorned them (Lamentations 2:15-16), but they were not the primary cause of their suffering. The Babylonians were merely instruments in God's hand, fulfilling His plan and purpose (Lamentations 2:17). God had warned of judgment for disobedience when He established His covenant with Israel (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). After years of idolatry, He specifically warned that He would use the Babylonians to punish His people (2 Kings 20:17-18; Habakkuk 1:6).
Therefore, instead of simply lamenting their fate, God's people needed to cry out in repentance and beg Him for mercy (Lamentations 2:19-20). The chapter concludes with a desperate plea for God's compassion, acknowledging the horrific consequences of their sin and the urgent need for His intervention.
When God is perceived as your biggest problem, remember that He is also your only hope. His holiness remains constant, and we are the ones who must align ourselves with His will. Lamentations 2 serves as a potent call to self-examination, repentance, and a renewed commitment to seeking God's mercy and guidance.
How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!
The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof.
He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.
He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire.
The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.
And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the Lord hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.
The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary, he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have made a noise in the house of the Lord, as in the day of a solemn feast.
The Lord hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: he hath stretched out a line, he hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together.
Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more; her prophets also find no vision from the Lord.
The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.
Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.
They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers’ bosom.
What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?
Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.
All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.
The Lord hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.
Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.
Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.
Behold, O Lord, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?
The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied.
Thou hast called as in a solemn day my terrors round about, so that in the day of the Lord’s anger none escaped nor remained: those that I have swaddled and brought up hath mine enemy consumed.
Lamentations 2 offers a stark and heart-wrenching portrayal of Jerusalem's destruction, not merely as a historical event, but as a direct consequence of God's righteous judgment. Through Jeremiah's poignant words, we witness the depths of Judah's suffering and the urgent need for repentance. This chapter serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the enduring hope found in returning to God.
God's Wrath and Judah's Ruin (2:1-5)
Jeremiah vividly depicts the devastation inflicted upon Jerusalem, emphasizing that this was not simply a military defeat, but the result of God's active judgment. The Babylonians are almost secondary; the focus is on God who "overshadowed... swallowed up... demolished... cut off... and destroyed Judah" (Lamentations 2:1-5). This destruction stems from His "wrath and burning anger" against His people. The phrase "the Lord cut off every horn of Israel" (Lamentations 2:3) symbolizes the removal of all sources of strength and security – fortified cities, leaders, and any semblance of power. God rendered them as vulnerable as children before their enemies. This imagery underscores the completeness of Judah's downfall and the utter helplessness of its people.
The Desecration of the Temple and Failure of Leadership (2:6-10)
Perhaps the most devastating aspect of the destruction was the desecration of the temple (Lamentations 2:6). This holy place, chosen by God as His dwelling, was ultimately abandoned due to Israel's idolatry. As God had warned, He banished the temple from His presence (2 Chronicles 7:16, 19-20).
The rejection extended to the religious practices and leadership. God abolished appointed festivals and Sabbaths in Zion and despised king and priest alike (Lamentations 2:6). These festivals had become empty rituals, devoid of genuine devotion. The kings and priests had failed to provide spiritual guidance. Even the prophets received no vision from the Lord (Lamentations 2:9), signifying a complete breakdown of spiritual leadership at all levels – king, priest, and prophet. The people were left in silent mourning, clothed in sackcloth and covered in dust (Lamentations 2:10), symbolic acts of profound grief (Job 16:15; Nehemiah 9:1).
Jeremiah's Grief and the People's Sin (2:11-14)
Jeremiah, witnessing the suffering of his people, is overwhelmed with sorrow. He cannot stop weeping as he sees hungry children crying for food, their mothers unable to provide (Lamentations 2:11-12). However, amidst this pain, Jeremiah does not lose sight of the underlying cause: God's judgment for their sin. This realization is crucial for the people to understand, so they can repent and avoid repeating their mistakes.
Jeremiah condemns the lying prophets who failed to expose the people's iniquity. Instead, they told the kings and the people what they wanted to hear (Lamentations 2:14), contributing to their downfall. These false prophets, such as Pashhur, Hananiah, Ahab, Zedekiah, and Shemaiah (Jeremiah 20:1-6; 28:1-17; 29:21-32), prioritized popularity over truth, leading the nation astray.
God's Sovereignty and the Call to Repentance (2:15-22)
Judah's enemies mocked and scorned them (Lamentations 2:15-16), but they were not the primary cause of their suffering. The Babylonians were merely instruments in God's hand, fulfilling His plan and purpose (Lamentations 2:17). God had warned of judgment for disobedience when He established His covenant with Israel (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). After years of idolatry, He specifically warned that He would use the Babylonians to punish His people (2 Kings 20:17-18; Habakkuk 1:6).
Therefore, instead of simply lamenting their fate, God's people needed to cry out in repentance and beg Him for mercy (Lamentations 2:19-20). The chapter concludes with a desperate plea for God's compassion, acknowledging the horrific consequences of their sin and the urgent need for His intervention.
When God is perceived as your biggest problem, remember that He is also your only hope. His holiness remains constant, and we are the ones who must align ourselves with His will. Lamentations 2 serves as a potent call to self-examination, repentance, and a renewed commitment to seeking God's mercy and guidance.