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2013 October 7



Royal Couple Mourning for their Dead Daughter (1830)
Karl Friedrich Lessing (1808-1880)
German Romantic Style, Dusseldorf School of Painting
The Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia
Image Source: Web Gallery of Arts


     The Book of Lamentations Overview: Lamentations is a series of 5 poems lamenting the final fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in about 586 B.C. The first four chapters are acrostic poems. The fifth chapter is a non-acrostic poem. Each chapter has 22 verses except for chapter 3 which has 66 verses, consisting of 22 triplet acrostics. The first chapter follows the normal alphabetic order; but chapters 2-4 have a reversal of letter number 16 (called "Ayin") with number 17 ( called "Pe") -- (i.e., the order is Pe, Ayin in chapters 2, 3, and 4). Tradition holds that Jeremiah is the author, and the content of the book is consistent with Jeremiah's style in the Book of Jeremiah - particularly his use of poetry, laments, and variations of speakers (where he speaks, the people speak, and the LORD speaks, often without formal introduction - discernible by context - which is a device used by other prophets and poets in Scripture). For purposes of illustration, I've analyzed the chapters for major components of the mourning process in accord with "The Five Stages of Grief," as well as for content.

     Explanation: Anger. In Lamentations 1 the first 21 verses are devoted to mourning for the afflictions of God's people. Verse 22 shifts suddenly to anger against the enemies who have caused these sufferings. For this reason, I've chosen the painting above which illustrates both mourning (the queen) and anger (the king) as they experience the loss of their daughter. The chapter opens with an exclamation, "eyk," "how!?" This is a word of denial. The reality of the calamity is nearly impossible to accept. Jerusalem had been like a princess - great among the nations, yet now she is alone, empty, a widow, and a tributary; weeping, treachery, captivity, and persecution have become her lot (1-3). She is abandoned and bitter; while her enemies prosper she bears the Lord's judgment, including the captivity of her children; her beauty has departed; her princes flee before the pursuer; she remembers the restful days of old, but now her rest is mocked (4-7). Her sin and her filthiness have brought this upon her; but she prays to the LORD to be remembered; and she reminds the LORD that the enemy defiled his sanctuary (8-10). Food is scarce and costly (11). She complains that her affliction is nothing to those who pass by, even though her sorrow and judgment from the LORD is unparalleled; fire entered her bones; she is snared, desolate, and faint; and the LORD has hung her iniquities around her neck like a wreathe, so that she is not able to look up (12-14). Her warriors are crushed, and she, herself, is crushed as in a winepress; she weeps and is comfortless (15-16). She pleads for help but finds revulsion (17). The LORD is righteous because she has rebelled (18). Her lovers deceived her; her priests died in the streets while looking for food (19). She confesses her sin and asks for help in her affliction; her adversaries are glad for her affliction, but they will suffer likewise, so she asks that their wickedness will come before the LORD and that he will do to them as he has done to her for her transgressions (20-22).


Lamentations 1

Aleph

1 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!

Beth

2 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.

Gimel

3 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.

Daleth

4 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.

He

5 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.

Waw

6 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.

Zayin

7 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.

Heth

8 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.

Teth

9 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.

Yodh

10 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.

Kaph

11 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.

Lamed

12 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.

Mem

13 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.

Nun

14 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.

Samech

15 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.

Ayin

16 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.

Pe

17 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.

Sadhe

18 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.

Qoph

19 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.

Resh

20 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.

Shin

21 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.

Tau

22 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.



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