To “lament” is to feel intense sorrow, sadness, or grief, even to cry or to wail.
This book, entitled Lamentations, focuses on suffering, loss, and hopelessness. It acknowledges the reality of pain, grief, and tragedy, not only in Old Testament times (pain and grief resulting from Israel’s turning away from God), but in our lives today.
Even though some of the circumstances of our suffering may be different from the Israelites’ experience, the pain of suffering is just as real.
Against the dismal backdrop of Lamentations, a ray of hope begins to shine. Having written extensively about destruction at the beginning of Lamentations, the writer admits in Lamentations 3:17,
“I have forgotten happiness.” But then he begins to come out of his misery, saying: “But this I call to mind, therefore have I hope” (Lamentations
21). He then moves into one of the best-known, best-loved scriptures I know of:
“It is because of the LORD’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22, 23).
No matter what you are facing today, let Lamentations remind you of God’s faithfulness to you. Recall God’s mercy in every situation, and let it give you hope and expectation!
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