How solitary and lonely sits the city [Jerusalem] That was [once] full of people! How like a widow she has become. She who was great among the nations! The princess among the provinces, Has become a forced laborer! She weeps bitterly in the night And her tears are [constantly] on her cheeks; Among all her lovers (political allies) She has no one to comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; They have become her enemies. [Jer 3:1; 4:30] Judah has gone into exile under affliction And under harsh servitude; She dwells among the [pagan] nations, But she has found no rest; All her pursuers have overtaken her In the midst of [her] distress. The roads to Zion are in mourning Because no one comes to the appointed feasts. All her gates are desolate; Her priests are groaning, Her virgins are grieved and suffering, And she suffers bitterly. Her adversaries have become her masters, Her enemies prosper; For the LORD has caused her grief Because of the multitude of her transgressions; Her young children have gone Into captivity before the enemy. [Jer 30:14, 15; 52:28; Dan 9:7-14] All her beauty and majesty Have departed from the Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem). Her princes have become like deer That have found no pasture; They have fled without strength Before the pursuer.
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4 Days
Does suffering ever cause you to wonder if God is punishing you? Through study of God's word, reflection and prayer, let this 4-day plan help you draw closer to God in difficult times.
5 Days
Most likely written by the prophet Jeremiah, Lamentations is a collection of poems mourning the siege of Jerusalem and the coming exile of Judah. Despite the wickedness of God’s people that led to their captivity, the writer reminds his readers the loyal love and mercy of the Lord are truly new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). Even in deep darkness, God is our portion, our hope, and our salvation.
In difficult times, do you feel like God is silent? The book of Lamentations offers a language for times when you feel alone in sorrow. Lamentations invites you to pour out your most difficult emotions in prayer and to return to the God who loves you and is working all things together for good. In this five-day series, read through the book of Lamentations and consider God's steadfast love.
6 Days
Lamentations in the Old Testament chronicles the prophet Jeremiah’s mourning as his hometown, Jerusalem, lies in ruins due to his people’s sin. The “daughter of Zion” once prized by God is destroyed. In this six-day devotional, Chantelle Hobbs—a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary—pairs Jeremiah’s emotional prose with lyrical laments expressed in the Spirituals of her forerunners in the faith. Included are original recordings of the songs.
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