Lamentations 3:52

Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.

Mine enemies {H341} chased {H6679} me sore {H6679}, like a bird {H6833}, without cause {H2600}.

Those who are my enemies for no reason hunted me down like a bird.

Without cause my enemies hunted me like a bird.

They have chased me sore like a bird, they that are mine enemies without cause.

Commentary

Lamentations 3:52 is a poignant cry from the prophet Jeremiah, likely reflecting his deep personal suffering and the anguish of the nation of Judah during the Babylonian exile. This verse encapsulates the feeling of being relentlessly pursued and unjustly afflicted.

Context

The Book of Lamentations is a collection of five poetic laments, traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, who is often called the "weeping prophet." It expresses profound grief over the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BC, and the subsequent exile of the Jewish people. Chapter 3 stands out as a personal lament, where the speaker (often understood as Jeremiah himself, or a representative of the suffering nation) pours out his heart to God. This chapter oscillates between intense despair and moments of profound hope and trust in God's faithfulness, as seen in the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.

Key Themes

  • Unjust Persecution: The core of the verse is the experience of being hunted by enemies. The phrase "Mine enemies chased me sore" conveys intense and painful pursuit.
  • Vulnerability and Helplessness: The vivid metaphor "like a bird" emphasizes the speaker's defenselessness and fragility in the face of overwhelming opposition. A bird caught in a snare or relentlessly pursued has no escape.
  • Innocent Suffering: The crucial phrase "without cause" highlights the injustice of the persecution. The suffering endured was undeserved, adding to the pain and sense of betrayal. This theme resonates with other biblical figures who suffered unjustly, such as Job and even Jesus, who spoke of being hated without a cause.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "chased" (ืฆื•ื“, tsud) carries the sense of hunting, ensnaring, or lying in wait, indicating a deliberate and predatory pursuit. The term "sore" intensifies this, conveying severe distress and pain. The phrase "without cause" comes from the Hebrew word ื—ึดื ึธึผื (chinnam), meaning "for nothing," "gratuitously," or "without reason." This underscores the profound injustice and lack of provocation for the intense suffering described.

Practical Application

Lamentations 3:52 offers solace and understanding for those who feel unjustly persecuted or overwhelmed by adversity. It validates the pain of suffering when it feels unwarranted and relentless. It reminds us that:

  • It's Okay to Lament: The Bible gives voice to deep sorrow and complaint to God, even when facing seemingly insurmountable problems.
  • God Sees Injustice: Even when human enemies act "without cause," God is aware of the injustice. This verse, within the larger context of Lamentations, ultimately points to God's ultimate justice and faithfulness, even if it is delayed.
  • Hope in Vulnerability: While feeling like a defenseless bird, the speaker's lament is directed to God, implying a trust that God is the ultimate refuge and deliverer, even in the most desperate circumstances.

This verse provides a powerful expression of human anguish under persecution, assuring readers that their feelings of being unjustly targeted are understood within the biblical narrative.

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Cross-References

  • Psalms 35:7 (4 votes)

    For without cause have they hid for me their net [in] a pit, [which] without cause they have digged for my soul.

  • Psalms 35:19 (4 votes)

    Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: [neither] let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

  • Jeremiah 37:18 (2 votes)

    Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?

  • Jeremiah 37:15 (2 votes)

    Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison.

  • Jeremiah 37:16 (2 votes)

    When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;

  • John 15:25 (2 votes)

    But [this cometh to pass], that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

  • 1 Samuel 25:28 (2 votes)

    I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee [all] thy days.