Lamentations 3

III. THE PROPHET’S RESPONSE TO DIVINE JUDGMENT (THE THIRD LAMENT) CH. 3

As mentioned previously, this lament is an acrostic in triplets; the same succeeding Hebrew consonant begins three verses instead of just one, as in the previous chapters. The verses are about one third as long as most of those in the first two chapters.

This chapter also differs from the others in this book, in that: it contains a first-person narrative of the prophet’s reactions to the sufferings he endured as the Lord’s faithful servant. It is similar to the "confessions" sections in the Book of Jeremiah, where the prophet opens up and lets the reader into his heart and mind.

"Jeremiah proposes his own experience under afflictions, as an example as to how the Jews should behave under theirs, so as to have hope of a restoration; hence the change from singular to plural (Lamentations 3:22; Lamentations 3:40-47)." [Note: Jamieson, et al., p. 664.]

Faithful servants of the Lord of all ages can identify with many of the prophet’s sentiments expressed here.

"Chapter 3 is the heart of Jeremiah’s short book. This chapter gives the book a positive framework around which the other chapters revolve. The black velvet of sin and suffering in chapters 1-2 and 4-5 serves as a fitting backdrop to display the sparkling brilliance of God’s loyal love in chapter 3." [Note: Dyer, "Lamentations," p. 1216.]

In parts of this chapter, Jeremiah spoke for the people of Jerusalem and Judah, as well as for himself (e.g., Lamentations 3:22; Lamentations 3:40-47).

"He speaks as a representative Israelite, facing the dark and baffling ways of Providence." [Note: Price, p. 698.]

"In many respects this elegy crystallizes the basic themes of Lamentations, and as a fore-shadowing of the passion of Jesus Christ has definite affinities with Isaiah 53 and Psalms 22." [Note: Harrison, Jeremiah and . . ., p. 223.]