Thoughts on Lamentations 3, Day 27, Lent 2013
Today's mega-Lenten-Bible-reading-plan included all of Lamentations and 20 chapters of Ezekiel. I read Lamentations and listened to Ezekiel. As the NET translation below indicates, Lamentations is a massive acrostic based on the Hebrew alphabet. This section is the center of the six chapter poem. It is terribly sad and despondent before and after this section, but this is the center. In the midst of "why God?" faith still remains.
ז (Zayin)
19 Remember my impoverished and homeless condition,
which is a bitter poison.
20 I continually think about this,
and I am depressed.
21 But this I call to mind;
therefore I have hope:
which is a bitter poison.
20 I continually think about this,
and I am depressed.
21 But this I call to mind;
therefore I have hope:
ח (Khet)
22 The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases;
his compassions never end.
23 They are fresh every morning;
your faithfulness is abundant!
24 “My portion is the Lord,” I have said to myself,
so I will put my hope in him.
his compassions never end.
23 They are fresh every morning;
your faithfulness is abundant!
24 “My portion is the Lord,” I have said to myself,
so I will put my hope in him.
ט (Tet)
25 The Lord is good to those who trust in him,
to the one who seeks him.
26 It is good to wait patiently
for deliverance from the Lord.
27 It is good for a man
to bear the yoke while he is young.
to the one who seeks him.
26 It is good to wait patiently
for deliverance from the Lord.
27 It is good for a man
to bear the yoke while he is young.
י (Yod)
28 Let a person sit alone in silence,
when the Lord is disciplining him.
29 Let him bury his face in the dust;
perhaps there is hope.
30 Let him offer his cheek to the one who hits him;
let him have his fill of insults.
when the Lord is disciplining him.
29 Let him bury his face in the dust;
perhaps there is hope.
30 Let him offer his cheek to the one who hits him;
let him have his fill of insults.
כ (Kaf)
31 For the Lord will not
reject us forever.
32 Though he causes us grief, he then has compassion on us
according to the abundance of his loyal kindness.
33 For he is not predisposed to afflict
or to grieve people.
reject us forever.
32 Though he causes us grief, he then has compassion on us
according to the abundance of his loyal kindness.
33 For he is not predisposed to afflict
or to grieve people.
ל (Lamed)
34 To crush underfoot
all the earth’s prisoners,
35 to deprive a person of his rights
in the presence of the Most High,
36 to defraud a person in a lawsuit—
the Lord does not approve of such things!
all the earth’s prisoners,
35 to deprive a person of his rights
in the presence of the Most High,
36 to defraud a person in a lawsuit—
the Lord does not approve of such things!
מ (Mem)
37 Whose command was ever fulfilled
unless the Lord decreed it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that everything comes—
both calamity and blessing?
39 Why should any living person complain
when punished for his sins?
unless the Lord decreed it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that everything comes—
both calamity and blessing?
39 Why should any living person complain
when punished for his sins?
נ (Nun)
40 Let us carefully examine our ways,
and let us return to the Lord.
41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
to God in heaven:
42 “We have blatantly rebelled;
you have not forgiven.”
and let us return to the Lord.
41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
to God in heaven:
42 “We have blatantly rebelled;
you have not forgiven.”
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