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Commentary on Lamentations 3 verses 1–20
The title of the 102nd Psalm might very fitly be prefixed to this chapter - The prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and pours out his complaint before the Lord; for it is very feelingly and fluently that the complaint is here poured out. Let us observe the particulars of it. The prophet complains, 1. That God is angry. This gives both birth and bitterness to the affliction (Lam 3:1): I am the man, the remarkable man, that has seen affliction, and has felt it sensibly, by the rod of his wrath. Note, God is sometimes angry with his own people; yet it is to be complained of, not as a sword to cut off, by only as a rod to correct; it is to them the rod of his wrath, a chastening which, though grievous for the present, will in the issue be advantageous. By this rod we must expect to see affliction, and, if we be made to see more than ordinary affliction by that rod, we must not quarrel, for we are sure that the anger is just and affliction mild and mixed with mercy. 2. That he is at a loss and altogether in the dark. Darkness is put for great trouble and perplexity, the want both of comfort and of direction; this was the case of the complainant (Lam 3:2): "He has led me by his providence, and an unaccountable chain of events, into darkness and not into light, the darkness I feared and not into the light I hoped for." And (Lam 3:6), He has set me in dark places, dark as the grave, like those that are dead of old, that are quite forgotten, nobody knows who or what they were. Note, The Israel of God, though children of light, sometimes walk in darkness. 3. That God appears against him as an enemy, as a professed enemy. God had been for him, but no "Surely against me is he turned (Lam 3:3), as far as I can discern; for his hand is turned against me all the day. I am chastened every morning," Psa 73:14. And, when God's hand is continually turned against us, we are tempted to think that his heart is turned against us too. God had said once (Hos 5:14), I will be as a lion to the house of Judah, and now he has made his word good (Lam 3:10): "He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, surprising me with his judgments, and as a lion in secret places; so that which way soever I went I was in continual fear of being set upon and could never think myself safe." Do men shoot at those thy are enemies to? He has bent his bow, the bow that was ordained against the church's prosecutors, that is bent against her sons, Lam 3:12. He has set me as a mark for his arrow, which he aims at, and will be sure to hit, and then the arrows of his quiver enter into my reins, give me a mortal wound, an inward wound, Lam 3:13. Note, God has many arrows in his quiver, and they fly swiftly and pierce deeply. 4. That he is as one sorely afflicted both in body and mind. The Jewish state may now be fitly compared to a man wrinkled with age, for which there is no remedy (Lam 3:4): "My flesh and my skin has he made old; they are wasted and withered, and I look like one that is ready to drop into the grave; nay, he has broken my bones, and so disabled me to help myself, Lam 3:15. He has filled me with bitterness, a bitter sense of his calamities." God has access to the spirit, and can so embitter that as thereby to embitter all the enjoyments; as, when the stomach is foul, whatever is eaten sours in it: "He has made me drunk with wormwood, so intoxicated me with the sense of my afflictions that I know not what to say or do. He has mingled gravel with my bread, so that my teeth are broken with it (Lam 3:16) and what I eat is neither pleasant nor nourishing. He has covered me with ashes, as mourners used to be, or (as some read it) he has fed me with ashes. I have eaten ashes like bread," Psa 102:9. 5. That he is not able to discern any way of escape or deliverance (Lam 3:5): "He has built against me, as forts and batteries are built against a besieged city. Where there was a way open it is now quite made up: He has compassed me on ever side with gall and travel; I vex, and fret, and tire myself, to find a way of escape, but can find none, Lam 3:7. He has hedged me about, that I cannot get out." When Jerusalem was besieged it was said to be compassed in on every side, Luk 19:43. "I am chained; and as some notorious malefactors are double-fettered, and loaded with irons, so he has made my chain heavy. He has also (Lam 3:9) enclosed my ways with hewn stone, not only hedged up my way with thorns (Hos 2:6), but stopped it up with a stone wall, which cannot be broken through, so that my paths are made crooked; I traverse to and fro, to the right hand, to the left, to try to get forward, but am still turned back." It is just with God to make those who walk in the crooked paths of sin, crossing God's laws, walk in the crooked paths of affliction, crossing their designs and breaking their measures. So (Lam 3:11), "He has turned aside my ways; he has blasted all my counsels, ruined my projects, so that I am necessitated to yield to my own ruin. He has pulled me in pieces; he has torn and is gone away (Hos 5:14), and has made me desolate, has deprived me of all society and all comfort in my own soul." 6. That God turns a deaf ear to his prayers (Lam 3:8): "When I cry and shout, as one in earnest, as one that would make him hear, yet he shuts out my prayer and will not suffer it to have access to him." God's ear is wont to be open to the prayers of his people, and his door of mercy to those that knock at it; but now both are shut, even to one that cries and shouts. Thus sometimes God seems to be angry even against the prayers of his people (Psa 80:4), and their case is deplorable indeed when they are denied not only the benefit of an answer, but the comfort of acceptance. 7. That his neighbours make a laughing matter of his troubles (Lam 3:14): I was a derision to all my people, to all the wicked among them, who made themselves an one another merry with the public judgments, and particularly the prophet Jeremiah's griefs. I am their song, their neginath, or hand-instrument of music, their tabret (Job 17:6), that they play upon, as Nero on his harp when Rome was on fire. 8. That he was ready to despair of relief and deliverance: "Thou hast not only taken peace from me, but hast removed my soul far off from peace (v. 17), so that it is not only not within reach, but no within view. I forget prosperity; it is so long since I had it, and so unlikely that I should ever recover it, that I have lost the idea of it. I have been so inured to sorrow and servitude that I know not what joy and liberty mean. I have even given up all for gone, concluding, My strength and my hope have perished from the Lord (Lam 3:18); I can no longer stay myself upon God as my support, for I do not find that he gives me encouragement to do so; nor can I look for his appearing in my behalf, so as to put an end to my troubles, for the case seems remediless, and even my God inexorable." Without doubt it was his infirmity to say this (Psa 77:10), for with God there is everlasting strength, and he is his people's never-failing hope, whatever they may think. 9. That grief returned upon every remembrance of his troubles, and his reflections were as melancholy as his prospects, Lam 3:19, Lam 3:20. Did he endeavour as Job did (Job 9:27), to forget his complaint? Alas! it was to no purpose; he remembers, upon all occasions, the affliction and the misery, the wormwood and the gall. Thus emphatically does he speak of his affliction, for thus did he think of it, thus heavily did it lie when he reviewed it! It was an affliction that was misery itself. My affliction and my transgression (so some read it), my trouble and my sin that brought it upon me; this was the wormwood and the gall in the affliction and the misery. It is sin that makes the cup of affliction a bitter cup. My soul has them still in remembrance. The captives in Babylon had all the miseries of the siege in their mind continually and the flames and ruins of Jerusalem still before their eyes, and wept when they remembered Zion; nay, they could never forget Jerusalem, Psa 137:1, Psa 137:5. My soul, having them in remembrance, is humbled in me, not only oppressed with a sense of the trouble, but in bitterness for sin. Note, It becomes us to have humble hearts under humbling providences, and to renew our penitent humiliations for sin upon every remembrance of our afflictions and miseries. Thus we may get good by former corrections and prevent further.
After an enumeration of many penalties ( in Chapter 2) the despair of the people is excluded. Such exclusion is divided twofold.
First, despair is considered by appeals, second, is the argument for a fidelity that must be acceptable. As Verse 19 later states: "Remember my affliction and my bitterness, the wormwood and the gall." Third, an assumed faithfulness turns the people to prayer for (divine) mercy. Like expressed further on in Verse 37: "Who has commanded and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?"
On despair on appeals three ideas are conveyed. First is set forth affliction itself, second a reprobation is assumed. As later Verse 17 says: "My soul is bereft of peace, I have forgotten what happiness is".
Third, despair is concluded in Verse 18: "So I say, 'Gone is my glory, and' my expectation from the Lord'."
To the first idea (affliction itself) two further notions are added. First, the affliction is considered which people sustained through pressure of their hands. And second, the manner of this very affliction is viewed. Like Verse 4 says: "He has made my flesh and my skin waste away, and broken my bones
Third, a remedy for their escape is left out. Verse 7 so says: "He has walled me about so that I cannot escape; he has put heavy chains on me."
To the affliction sustained by the pressure of hands, three more ideas are advanced. First indignation is noticed of the person pressing hands. Verse 1 then states: "I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath." Jeremiah himself here is speaking in his own person, for he himself has been afflicted like other persons, concerning whom he repudiates their misery. For, Revelations 3:17 claims: "For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing; not knowing that you are wretched, piteable, poor, blind and naked." Thus allegorically such can be expressed about Christ and his Church. Morally, it can refer to human souls.
Second, a subtraction of consolation is viewed. Verse 2 so states: "He has driven and brought me into darkness without any light." Since, after blows, no consolation is offered in the accustomed manner. Thus, Job 3:23 asks: "Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, whom God has hedged in?"
Third is the condition for the blows, stated in Verse 3: "Surely against me he turns his hand again and again the whole day long". Namely, there follows a sequence of affliction that considers such blows alone.
Verse 3 again: "Surely against me he turns his hand again and again the whole day long." That is, striking blows again and again. Hence, Isaiah 9:12: "For all this, his anger is not turned away and his hand is stretched out still."
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SUMMARY
Lamentations 3:3 vividly articulates the profound personal anguish of the speaker, traditionally understood to be the prophet Jeremiah, who perceives God's direct and unceasing opposition as the source of his intense suffering. This verse powerfully conveys a soul overwhelmed by continuous divine discipline, feeling singled out and subjected to an unremitting hand of judgment, thereby reflecting the deep despair and isolation that can accompany severe affliction and a perceived sense of divine abandonment.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Lamentations 3:3 is rich in literary devices that amplify the speaker's profound despair and the intensity of his suffering. The most prominent is Metaphor, specifically the "hand of God," which symbolizes divine power and action. Here, the turning of God's hand "against me" vividly portrays God's active and hostile intervention in the speaker's life, transforming a general concept of divine power into a tangible, oppressive force. The phrase "all the day" employs Hyperbole, an exaggeration not meant to be taken literally, but to convey the overwhelming and unceasing nature of the suffering. It communicates a sense of relentless, uninterrupted affliction, where every moment is colored by pain. The verse also utilizes Personification by attributing human-like actions ("turned," "turneth his hand") to God, making His perceived opposition feel intensely personal and direct. Finally, the entire verse functions as a powerful element of Lament, a form of poetic expression characterized by cries of distress, appeals for help, and expressions of profound sorrow and perceived divine abandonment, all central to the book of Lamentations.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Lamentations 3:3 articulates a raw theological struggle that resonates throughout biblical literature: how can a righteous God allow or even inflict such intense suffering upon His people? This verse captures the agonizing reality of divine discipline, where God's sovereign hand, typically a source of blessing and protection, is perceived as a source of relentless affliction. It acknowledges the legitimate human experience of feeling utterly abandoned or opposed by God in times of deep crisis, even when such suffering is understood as a consequence of sin. Yet, the broader context of Lamentations 3, particularly the pivot to God's steadfast love and mercies in Lamentations 3:22-23, suggests that even in the depths of despair and perceived divine hostility, faith can ultimately grasp the enduring character of God. The prophet's honest lament, therefore, becomes a model for bringing our deepest pains and questions directly to God, trusting that His nature is ultimately one of compassion, even amidst severe discipline.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Lamentations 3:3 offers a profound validation for those who find themselves in the crucible of suffering, feeling as though God's hand is actively against them. It gives voice to the raw, unvarnished emotions of despair, abandonment, and relentless struggle, assuring us that such feelings, though painful, are legitimate expressions before God. In a world that often pressures believers to maintain a facade of constant joy, this verse reminds us that honest lament and wrestling with God's sovereignty in suffering are vital components of a mature faith. It encourages us not to suppress our pain or question, but to bring them directly to the Lord, just as the prophet did. While the initial perception is one of unrelenting judgment, the journey of Lamentations 3 ultimately leads to a profound rediscovery of God's enduring mercies. Thus, our application is not to wallow in despair, but to acknowledge our suffering, express it authentically, and then, by faith, seek the ultimate hope found in God's steadfast love and faithfulness, even when His discipline feels severe and unending. This verse teaches us that even when we feel utterly broken, God remains sovereign, and His character, though sometimes expressed in judgment, is ultimately defined by compassion and faithfulness.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Lamentations 3:3 mean God is actively punishing individuals for every sin?
Answer: Lamentations 3:3 reflects the prophet's deeply personal perception of God's active hand in his suffering, which is understood within the broader biblical context of divine discipline for sin, particularly national apostasy. While the Bible teaches that God does discipline His people (e.g., Hebrews 12:5-11), it does not imply that every instance of suffering is a direct, one-to-one punishment for a specific sin. Sometimes suffering is for refinement, to reveal God's glory, or simply part of living in a fallen world. The prophet's lament here is an honest expression of his experience of God's judgment on Judah, which he felt personally. It's crucial to interpret this verse within the larger narrative of God's character, which is ultimately merciful and faithful, as seen in Lamentations 3:22-23.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Lamentations 3:3, with its agonizing portrayal of one who feels God's hand relentlessly turned against him, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the prophet experienced a measure of divine discipline, it was Christ alone who truly bore the full weight of God's righteous wrath and judgment for the sins of humanity. On the cross, Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (from Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34), echoing the deepest lament of one who feels utterly abandoned and opposed by God. In that moment, God's hand was indeed turned against His Son, not for Christ's own sin, but for ours, making Him "who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Through Christ's vicarious suffering, those who believe are spared the experience of God's hand being turned against them in judgment. Instead, believers find reconciliation and peace with God, knowing that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). The relentless suffering of the prophet points forward to the singular, all-sufficient suffering of the Lamb of God, who, by enduring the full force of divine opposition, opened the way for humanity to experience God's eternal favor and steadfast love.