LAMENTATIONS

LAMENTATIONS

LAMENTATIONS

As the name indicates, this is a book of “funeral dirges,” written by Jeremiah after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 b.c. His heart was broken, and his grief reveals the broken heart of God. God had to chasten His people, and it grieved Him to do it.

The verses in chapters 1–2 and 4–5 follow the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Chapter 3 has sixty-six verses, and each triad of verses begins with a successive letter. The turning point in Jeremiah’s grief is found in chapter 3, although he gives expressions of faith and hope here and there in his lament.

Sin is costly, God must punish sin, but God’s mercy never fails: these are the key lessons of Lamentations.

↑ Back to top