Lamentations: Chapter 1 - Learning Lament

Listen along as we begin our time in the book of Lamentations.

Notes//Quotes:

Lamentations 1:1-22

Title: Learning Lament

“In her book Journey through the Psalms, Denise Hopkins examines the use of lament in the major liturgical denominations in America. The study found that in the Lutheran Book of Worship, the Episcopalian Book of Common Prayer, The Catholic Lectionary for Mass, The Hymnal for the United Church of Christ, and in the United Methodist Hymnal, the majority of the Psalms omitted from liturgical use are the laments.”
- Soong-Chan Rah

“This trend is not only in the mainline traditions but in the less liturgical as well. In Hurting with God, Glenn Pemberton notes that lament constitutes 40 percent of the Psalms, but only 13 percent of the hymnal for the Churches of Christ, 19 percent of the Presbyterian hymnal, and 13 percent of the Baptist hymnal emphasize lament. Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) licenses local churches in the use of contemporary worship songs and tracks the songs that are most frequently sung in local churches. CCLI’s list of the top 100 worship songs  in August of 2012 reveals that only 5 of the songs would qualify as lament. Most of the songs reflect themes of praise.”
- Soong-Chan Rah

“the first of the five Lamentations has one monotonous theme repeated five separate times: ‘There is no one to comfort’ (1:2, 9, 16, 17, 21). 
- Walter Kaiser

“In section one (vv. 1-11) Jerusalem, is personified as a woman. Her present state is sharply contrasted with what she once was (vv. 1–3). Her forsaken roads, abandoned gates, grieving priests and maidens, exiled princes and nobles all tell part of her sad story (vv. 4–7). The reason for this wretched state of affairs (already hinted at in v. 5) is her awful sin (vv. 8–9). Even her sanctuary has been decimated (v. 10) trading her treasures to find food during the harsh famine (v. 11).” - Walter Kaiser

“For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name;”  Isaiah 54:5

8 Jerusalem sinned grievously;
    therefore she became filthy;
all who honored her despise her,
    for they have seen her nakedness;
she herself groans
    and turns her face away.
9 Her uncleanness was in her skirts;
    she took no thought of her future;[d]
therefore her fall is terrible;
    she has no comforter.
“O Lord, behold my affliction,
    for the enemy has triumphed!”
10 The enemy has stretched out his hands
    over all her precious things;
for she has seen the nations
    enter her sanctuary,
those whom you forbade
    to enter your congregation.
- Lamentations 1:8-10

“I called to my lovers,
    but they deceived me…”
- Lamentations 1:19

12 “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the Lord inflicted on the day of his fierce anger. 13 “From on high he sent fire; into my bones he made it descend; he spread a net for my feet; he turned me back; he has left me stunned, faint all the day long. 14 “My transgressions were bound into a yoke; by his hand they were fastened together; they were set upon my neck; he caused my strength to fail; the Lord gave me into the hands of those whom I cannot withstand.” 
- Lamentations 1:12-14

“The Lord is in the right, for I have rebelled against his word;” - Lamentations 1:18

“These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.” ….“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.”
- Jeremiah 29:1 & 4-9

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” - Matthew 5:43-45

“do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.” - Jeremiah 27:9