1 I am the man H1397 that hath seen H7200 affliction H6040 by the rod H7626 of his wrath. H5678
2 He hath led H5090 me, and brought H3212 me into darkness, H2822 but not into light. H216
3 Surely against me is he turned; H7725 he turneth H2015 his hand H3027 against me all the day. H3117
4 My flesh H1320 and my skin H5785 hath he made old; H1086 he hath broken H7665 my bones. H6106
5 He hath builded against H1129 me, and compassed H5362 me with gall H7219 and travail. H8513
6 He hath set H3427 me in dark places, H4285 as they that be dead H4191 of old. H5769
7 He hath hedged H1443 me about, that I cannot get out: H3318 he hath made my chain H5178 heavy. H3513
8 Also when I cry H2199 and shout, H7768 he shutteth out H5640 my prayer. H8605
9 He hath inclosed H1443 my ways H1870 with hewn stone, H1496 he hath made my paths H5410 crooked. H5753
10 He was unto me as a bear H1677 lying in wait, H693 and as a lion H738 in secret places. H4565
11 He hath turned aside H5493 my ways, H1870 and pulled me in pieces: H6582 he hath made H7760 me desolate. H8074
12 He hath bent H1869 his bow, H7198 and set H5324 me as a mark H4307 for the arrow. H2671
13 He hath caused the arrows H1121 of his quiver H827 to enter H935 into my reins. H3629
14 I was a derision H7814 to all my people; H5971 and their song H5058 all the day. H3117
15 He hath filled H7646 me with bitterness, H4844 he hath made me drunken H7301 with wormwood. H3939
16 He hath also broken H1638 my teeth H8127 with gravel stones, H2687 he hath covered H3728 me with ashes. H665
17 And thou hast removed H2186 my soul H5315 far off H2186 from peace: H7965 I forgat H5382 prosperity. H2896
18 And I said, H559 My strength H5331 and my hope H8431 is perished H6 from the LORD: H3068
19 Remembering H2142 mine affliction H6040 and my misery, H4788 the wormwood H3939 and the gall. H7219
20 My soul H5315 hath them still H2142 in remembrance, H2142 and is humbled H7743 in me.
21 This I recall H7725 to my mind, H3820 therefore have I hope. H3176
22 It is of the LORD'S H3068 mercies H2617 that we are not consumed, H8552 because his compassions H7356 fail H3615 not.
23 They are new H2319 every morning: H1242 great H7227 is thy faithfulness. H530
24 The LORD H3068 is my portion, H2506 saith H559 my soul; H5315 therefore will I hope H3176 in him.
25 The LORD H3068 is good H2896 unto them that wait H6960 for him, to the soul H5315 that seeketh H1875 him.
26 It is good H2896 that a man should both hope H3175 H2342 and quietly wait H1748 for the salvation H8668 of the LORD. H3068
27 It is good H2896 for a man H1397 that he bear H5375 the yoke H5923 in his youth. H5271
28 He sitteth H3427 alone H910 and keepeth silence, H1826 because he hath borne H5190 it upon him.
29 He putteth H5414 his mouth H6310 in the dust; H6083 if so be there may be H3426 hope. H8615
30 He giveth H5414 his cheek H3895 to him that smiteth H5221 him: he is filled full H7646 with reproach. H2781
31 For the Lord H136 will not cast off H2186 for ever: H5769
32 But though he cause grief, H3013 yet will he have compassion H7355 according to the multitude H7230 of his mercies. H2617
33 For he doth not afflict H6031 willingly H3820 nor grieve H3013 the children H1121 of men. H376
34 To crush H1792 under his feet H7272 all the prisoners H615 of the earth, H776
35 To turn aside H5186 the right H4941 of a man H1397 before the face H6440 of the most High, H5945
36 To subvert H5791 a man H120 in his cause, H7379 the Lord H136 approveth H7200 not.
37 Who is he that saith, H559 and it cometh to pass, when the Lord H136 commandeth H6680 it not?
38 Out of the mouth H6310 of the most High H5945 proceedeth H3318 not evil H7451 and good? H2896
39 Wherefore doth a living H2416 man H120 complain, H596 a man H1397 for the punishment of his sins? H2399
40 Let us search H2664 and try H2713 our ways, H1870 and turn again H7725 to the LORD. H3068
41 Let us lift up H5375 our heart H3824 with our hands H3709 unto God H410 in the heavens. H8064
42 We H5168 have transgressed H6586 and have rebelled: H4784 thou hast not pardoned. H5545
43 Thou hast covered H5526 with anger, H639 and persecuted H7291 us: thou hast slain, H2026 thou hast not pitied. H2550
44 Thou hast covered H5526 thyself with a cloud, H6051 that our prayer H8605 should not pass through. H5674
45 Thou hast made H7760 us as the offscouring H5501 and refuse H3973 in the midst H7130 of the people. H5971
46 All our enemies H341 have opened H6475 their mouths H6310 against us.
47 Fear H6343 and a snare H6354 is come upon us, desolation H7612 and destruction. H7667
48 Mine eye H5869 runneth down H3381 with rivers H6388 of water H4325 for the destruction H7667 of the daughter H1323 of my people. H5971
49 Mine eye H5869 trickleth down, H5064 and ceaseth H1820 not, without any intermission, H2014
50 Till the LORD H3068 look down, H8259 and behold H7200 from heaven. H8064
51 Mine eye H5869 affecteth H5953 mine heart H5315 because of all the daughters H1323 of my city. H5892
52 Mine enemies H341 chased H6679 me sore, H6679 like a bird, H6833 without cause. H2600
53 They have cut off H6789 my life H2416 in the dungeon, H953 and cast H3034 a stone H68 upon me.
54 Waters H4325 flowed over H6687 mine head; H7218 then I said, H559 I am cut off. H1504
55 I called H7121 upon thy name, H8034 O LORD, H3068 out of the low H8482 dungeon. H953
56 Thou hast heard H8085 my voice: H6963 hide H5956 not thine ear H241 at my breathing, H7309 at my cry. H7775
57 Thou drewest near H7126 in the day H3117 that I called H7121 upon thee: thou saidst, H559 Fear H3372 not.
58 O Lord, H136 thou hast pleaded H7378 the causes H7379 of my soul; H5315 thou hast redeemed H1350 my life. H2416
59 O LORD, H3068 thou hast seen H7200 my wrong: H5792 judge H8199 thou my cause. H4941
60 Thou hast seen H7200 all their vengeance H5360 and all their imaginations H4284 against me.
61 Thou hast heard H8085 their reproach, H2781 O LORD, H3068 and all their imaginations H4284 against me;
62 The lips H8193 of those that rose up H6965 against me, and their device H1902 against me all the day. H3117
63 Behold H5027 their sitting down, H3427 and their rising up; H7012 I am their musick. H4485
64 Render H7725 unto them a recompence, H1576 O LORD, H3068 according to the work H4639 of their hands. H3027
65 Give H5414 them sorrow H4044 of heart, H3820 thy curse H8381 unto them.
66 Persecute H7291 and destroy H8045 them in anger H639 from under the heavens H8064 of the LORD. H3068
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Lamentations 3
Commentary on Lamentations 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
La 3:1-66.
Jeremiah proposes his own experience under afflictions, as an example as to how the Jews should behave under theirs, so as to have hope of a restoration; hence the change from singular to plural (La 3:22, 40-47). The stanzas consist of three lines, each of which begins with the same Hebrew letter.
Aleph.
1-3. seen affliction—his own in the dungeon of Malchiah (Jer 38:6); that of his countrymen also in the siege. Both were types of that of Christ.
2. darkness—calamity.
light—prosperity.
3. turneth … hand—to inflict again and again new strokes. "His hand," which once used to protect me. "Turned … turneth" implies repeated inflictions.
Beth.
4-6. (Job 16:8).
5. builded—mounds, as against a besieged city, so as to allow none to escape (so La 3:7, 9).
6. set me—Henderson refers this to the custom of placing the dead in a sitting posture.
dark places—sepulchers. As those "dead long since"; so Jeremiah and his people are consigned to oblivion (Ps 88:5, 6; 143:3; Eze 37:13).
Gimel.
7-9. hedged—(Job 3:23; Ho 2:6).
chain—literally, "chain of brass."
8. shutteth out—image from a door shutting out any entrance (Job 30:20). So the antitype. Christ (Ps 22:2).
9. hewn stone—which coheres so closely as not to admit of being broken through.
paths crooked—thwarted our plans and efforts so that none went right.
Daleth.
10-13. (Job 10:16; Ho 13:7, 8).
11. turned aside—made me wander out of the right way, so as to become a prey to wild beasts.
pulled in pieces—(Ho 6:1), as a "bear" or a "lion" (La 3:10).
12. (Job 7:20).
He.
13-15. arrows—literally, "sons" of His quiver (compare Job 6:4).
14. (Jer 20:7).
their song—(Ps 69:12). Jeremiah herein was a type of Messiah. "All my people" (Joh 1:11).
15. wormwood—(Jer 9:15). There it is regarded as food, namely, the leaves: here as drink, namely, the juice.
Vau.
16-18. gravel—referring to the grit that often mixes with bread baked in ashes, as is the custom of baking in the East (Pr 20:17). We fare as hardly as those who eat such bread. The same allusion is in "Covered me with ashes," namely, as bread.
17. Not only present, but all hope of future prosperity is removed; so much so, that I am as one who never was prosperous ("I forgat prosperity").
18. from the Lord—that is, my hope derived from Him (Ps 31:22).
Zain.
19-21. This gives the reason why he gave way to the temptation to despair. The Margin, "Remember" does not suit the sense so well.
wormwood … gall—(Jer 9:15).
20. As often as my soul calls them to remembrance, it is humbled or bowed down in me.
21. This—namely, what follows; the view of the divine character (La 3:22, 23). Calvin makes "this" refer to Jeremiah's infirmity. His very weakness (La 3:19, 20) gives him hope of God interposing His strength for him (compare Ps 25:11, 17; 42:5, 8; 2Co 12:9, 10).
Cheth.
22-24. (Mal 3:6).
23. (Isa 33:2).
24. (Nu 18:20; Ps 16:5; 73:26; 119:57; Jer 10:16). To have God for our portion is the one only foundation of hope.
Teth.
25-27. The repetition of "good" at the beginning of each of the three verses heightens the effect.
wait—(Isa 30:18).
26. quietly wait—literally, "be in silence." Compare La 3:28 and Ps 39:2, 9, that is, to be patiently quiet under afflictions, resting in the will of God (Ps 37:7). So Aaron (Le 10:2, 3); and Job (Job 40:4, 5).
27. yoke—of the Lord's disciplinary teaching (Ps 90:12; 119:71). Calvin interprets it, The Lord's doctrine (Mt 11:29, 30), which is to be received in a docile spirit. The earlier the better; for the old are full of prejudices (Pr 8:17; Ec 12:1). Jeremiah himself received the yoke, both of doctrine and chastisement in his youth (Jer 1:6, 7).
Jod.
28-30. The fruit of true docility and patience. He does not fight against the yoke (Jer 31:18; Ac 9:5), but accommodates himself to it.
alone—The heathen applauded magnanimity, but they looked to display and the praise of men. The child of God, in the absence of any witness, "alone," silently submits to the will of God.
borne it upon him—that is, because he is used to bearing it on him. Rather, "because He (the Lord, La 3:26) hath laid it on him" [Vatablus].
29. (Job 42:6). The mouth in the dust is the attitude of suppliant and humble submission to God's dealings as righteous and loving in design (compare Ezr 9:6; 1Co 14:25).
if so be there may be hope—This does not express doubt as to whether God be willing to receive the penitent, but the penitent's doubt as to himself; he whispers to himself this consolation, "Perhaps there may be hope for me."
30. Messiah, the Antitype, fulfilled this; His practice agreeing with His precept (Isa 50:6; Mt 5:39). Many take patiently afflictions from God, but when man wrongs them, they take it impatiently. The godly bear resignedly the latter, like the former, as sent by God (Ps 17:13).
Caph.
31-33. True repentance is never without hope (Ps 94:14).
32. The punishments of the godly are but for a time.
33. He does not afflict any willingly (literally, "from His heart," that is, as if He had any pleasure in it, Eze 33:11), much less the godly (Heb 12:10).
Lamed.
34-36. This triplet has an infinitive in the beginning of each verse, the governing finite verb being in the end of La 3:36, "the Lord approveth not," which is to be repeated in each verse. Jeremiah here anticipates and answers the objections which the Jews might start, that it was by His connivance they were "crushed under the feet" of those who "turned aside the right of a man." God approves (literally, "seeth," Hab 1:13; so "behold," "look on," that is, look on with approval) not of such unrighteous acts; and so the Jews may look for deliverance and the punishment of their foes.
35. before … face of … most High—Any "turning aside" of justice in court is done before the face of God, who is present, and "regardeth," though unseen (Ec 5:8).
36. subvert—to wrong.
Mem.
37-39. Who is it that can (as God, Ps 33:9) effect by a word anything, without the will of God?
38. evil … good—Calamity and prosperity alike proceed from God (Job 2:10; Isa 45:7; Am 3:6).
39. living—and so having a time yet given him by God for repentance. If sin were punished as it deserves, life itself would be forfeited by the sinner. "Complaining" (murmuring) ill becomes him who enjoys such a favor as life (Pr 19:3).
for the punishment of his sins—Instead of blaming God for his sufferings, he ought to recognize in them God's righteousness and the just rewards of his own sin.
Nun.
40-42. us—Jeremiah and his fellow countrymen in their calamity.
search—as opposed to the torpor wherewith men rest only on their outward sufferings, without attending to the cause of them (Ps 139:23, 24).
41. heart with … hands—the antidote to hypocrisy (Ps 86:4; 1Ti 2:8).
42. not pardoned—The Babylonian captivity had not yet ended.
Samech.
43-45. covered—namely, thyself (so La 3:44), so as not to see and pity our calamities, for even the most cruel in seeing a sad spectacle are moved to pity. Compare as to God "hiding His face," Ps 10:11; 22:25.
44. (La 3:8). The "cloud" is our sins, and God's wrath because of them (Isa 44:22; 59:2).
45. So the apostles were treated; but, instead of murmuring, they rejoiced at it (1Co 4:13).
Pe.
46-48. Pe is put before Ain (La 3:43, 46), as in La 2:16, 17; 4:16, 17. (La 2:16.)
47. Like animals fleeing in fear, we fall into the snare laid for us.
48. (Jer 4:19).
Ain.
49-51. without … intermission—or else, "because there is no intermission" [Piscator], namely, of my miseries.
50. Till—His prayer is not without hope, wherein it differs from the blind grief of unbelievers.
look down, &c.—(Isa 63:15).
51. eye affecteth mine heart—that is, causeth me grief with continual tears; or, "affecteth my life" (literally, "soul," Margin), that is, my health [Grotius].
daughters of … city—the towns around, dependencies of Jerusalem, taken by the foe.
Tzaddi.
52-54. a bird—which is destitute of counsel and strength. The allusion seems to be to Pr 1:17 [Calvin].
without cause—(Ps 69:4; 109:3, 4). Type of Messiah (Joh 15:25).
53. in … dungeon—(Jer 37:16).
stone—usually put at the mouth of a dungeon to secure the prisoners (Jos 10:18; Da 6:17; Mt 27:60).
54. Waters—not literally, for there was "no water" (Jer 38:6) in the place of Jeremiah's confinement, but emblematical of overwhelming calamities (Ps 69:2; 124:4, 5).
cut off—(Isa 38:10, 11). I am abandoned by God. He speaks according to carnal sense.
Koph.
55-57. I called out of dungeon—Thus the spirit resists the flesh, and faith spurns the temptation [Calvin], (Ps 130:1; Jon 2:2).
56. Thou hast heard—namely formerly (so in La 3:57, 58).
breathing … cry—two kinds of prayer; the sigh of a prayer silently breathed forth, and the loud, earnest cry (compare "prayer," "secret speech," Isa 26:16, Margin; with "cry aloud," Ps 55:17).
57. Thou drewest near—with Thy help (Jas 4:8).
Resh.
58-60. Jeremiah cites God's gracious answers to his prayers as an encouragement to his fellow countrymen, to trust in Him.
pleaded—(Ps 35:1; Mic 7:9).
59. God's past deliverances and His knowledge of Judah's wrongs are made the grounds of prayer for relief.
60. imaginations—devices (Jer 11:19).
Their vengeance—means their malice. Jeremiah gives his conduct, when plotted against by his foes, as an example how the Jews should bring their wrongs at the hands of the Chaldeans before God.
Schin.
61-63. their reproach—their reproachful language against me.
62. lips—speeches.
63. sitting down … rising up—whether they sit or rise, that is, whether they be actively engaged or sedentary, and at rest "all the day" (La 3:62), I am the subject of their derisive songs (La 3:14).
Tau.
64-66. (Jer 11:20; 2Ti 4:14).
65. sorrow—rather, blindness or hardness; literally, "a veil" covering their heart, so that they may rush on to their own ruin (Isa 6:10; 2Co 3:14, 15).
66. from under … heavens of … Lord—destroy them so that it may be seen everywhere under heaven that thou sittest above as Judge of the world.