DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
\Home\

Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture
plus an explanation with links and a discussion forum

2013 October 9



Agrippina Landing at Brundisium with the Ashes of Germanicus (1768)
Benjamin West (1738-1820)
Neoclassical Style
Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art


     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: Acceptance. In Lamentations 3, verses 21-41 show an acceptance of the disaster which has come upon the people of Jerusalem. Sin is acknowledged in detail along with an acknowledgement of God's love and mercy. From this, hope emerges in spite of the deep depression which comes before. This transitions to a sense of repentance and a call for judgment upon Israel's enemies. By its placement in the chapter and in the book, acceptance and hope is the central feature of the Book of Lamentations. In the painting above, acceptance -- in the sense of coming to terms with death -- is demonstrated by Agrippina coming to Brundisium to bury to bury the ashes of her husband Germanicus. Jeremiah, as a representative of Israel, opens the chapter by bemoaning his affliction, being led into darkness, and feeling the anguish of having God turn against him (1-3). He feels aged, "tastes" gall, travails, and is in a dark deadness (4-6). He is hedged in, chained, unheard when he cries out, and walks stony, crooked paths (7-9). The LORD was, to him, like a bear which tore him in pieces or a marksman who used him for target practice (10-12). He had a deadly wound, was derided, and filled with bitterness (13-15). His teeth were broken; he was covered with ashes, far from peace and prosperity, and without strength or hope (16-18). As he thought on these miseries his soul was humbled, yet hope arose (19-21). He realized that Israel was not consumed because of the LORD's mercies and unfailing compassion which are new every morning; his faithfulness is great and brings hope (22-24). It is good, says Jeremiah, to wait for the Lord because he is good to those who hope in him and quietly wait for him (25-27). He therefore should be silent and give his cheek to the smiter (28-30). The Lord will not cast off forever because of his compassion and because he does not willingly afflict the children of men (31-33). The Lord does not approve of crushing prisoners or turning aside their rights, or subverting them in their cause (34-36). All that happens comes from the Lord, so why should a man complain about the punishment of his sins (37-39)? Rather, we should search and try our ways and turn again to the LORD because we have transgressed and rebelled (40-42). It is for our sins that he has covered himself with anger, shut out their prayer, and made us like offscouring and refuse (43-45). Their enemies spoke against them; fear and a snare came upon them with desolation and destruction, causing Jeremiah to weep (46-48). He weeps constantly till the LORD looks down (49-51). He was chased by his enemies, cut-off in the dungeon, and plunged beneath the waters (52-54). He calls to the LORD from the dungeon, and the LORD hears, and draws near, and says, "Fear not" (55-57). The Lord pleaded his causes, redeemed his life, saw the wrong, judged his cause, and saw the evils of his enemies (58-60). The LORD heard their reproach and their imaginations against Jeremiah; so Jeremiah asks to LORD to watch them while they mock him (61-63). He asks the LORD to judge his enemies with sorrow, with his curse, and with persecution and destruction in anger (64-66).


Lamentations 3

Aleph

1 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

Beth

4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.

Gimel

7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.

Daleth

10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

He

13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.

Waw

16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:

Zayin

19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

Heth

22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Teth

25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

Yodh

28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.

Kaph

31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

Lamed

34 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.

Mem

37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

Nun

40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
42 We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.

Samech


43 Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
45 Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.

Pe

46 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
47 Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
48 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

Ayin

49 Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
50 Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
51 Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.

Sadhe

52 Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
54 Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.

Qoph

55 I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
56 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.

Resh


58 O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
59 O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.

Shin

61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;
62 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
63 Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.

Tau

64 Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
65 Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
66 Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.



Home | DAWN Forum Archive | Site Index

Tomorrow's Picture: TBA

     PARTICIPATION: We have 7 areas available (via email) for your participation. We are accepting contributions for Prose, Poetry, Writers, Visual Artists, Music, DAWN, and ILLUMINATION. DAWN, the page you are presently visiting, features a new image daily and invites discussion of the artist, style, or Biblical subjects depicted. ILLUMINATION features a compact, Illuminated Bible for which we are accepting visual, auditory, musical, and written contributions on any Biblical passage or theme. Our goal is to have a community-made, online, Illuminated Bible.

Please Email Comments, Questions, and Contributions for All Areas To

AD LIB ARTS EMAIL
copyright 2013, Scott Souza