1Ich bin der Mann, der das Elend besah unterm Stabe Seines Überwallens. 2Mich trieb steten Ganges er in die Finsternis, da Licht nicht mehr ist, 3wiederkehrend wandte er, gegen mich nur, seine Hand all den Tag.. 4Er zerfaserte mein Fleisch und meine Haut, zerbrach mein Gebein, 5verbaute mich, umzirkte Giftzeug und Ungemach, 6in Verfinstrungen setzte er mich wie die von Urzeit her Toten, 7umzäunte mich, daß ich nicht hinaus kann, beschwerte mich mit Erzketten. 8Wie ich auch schreie und flehe, umstopft hat er mein Gebet. 9Mit Quadern zäunte meine Wege er ab, verkrümmte meine Steige. 10Ein lauernder Bär ist er mir, ein Löwe in Verstecken. 11Er wirrte meine Wege und spaltete mich auf, verstarrt machte er mich. 12Er spannte seinen Bogen und stellte mich dem Pfeile als Ziel, 13in die Nieren entsandte er mir die Söhne seines Köchers. 14Ein Gelächter ward ich all meinem Volk, ihr Klimperliedlein all den Tag über. 15Er sättigte mit Bitternissen mich, flößte mir Wermut ein, 16meine Zähne machte er am Kiese sich malmen, in Asche zerrte er mich nieder. - 17Du verwarfst meine Seele, vom Frieden hinweg, das Gutgeschick mußte ich vergessen. 18So sprach ich: »Schwand meine Dauer und mein Erharrtes von IHM her, 19muß das Gedenken meines Elends und meines Schweifens, der Wermut und des Giftzeugs 20gedenken, gedenken meine Seele und in mir sinken, - 21dieses lasse ins Herz ich mir kehren, um des willen harre ich: 22SEINE Hulden, daß sie nicht dahin sind, daß sein Erbarmen nicht endet.« 23Neu ists an jedem Morgen, groß ist deine Treue, 24»Mein Anteil ist ER«, spricht meine Seele, »um des willen harre ich sein.« 25Gut ist ER zu denen, die ihn erhoffen, zu der Seele, die ihn sucht. 26Gut ists, wenn still einer harrt auf SEINE Befreiung. 27Gut ists dem Mann, wenn in seiner Jugend er ein Joch trug. 28Er sitze einsam und still, wenn Er es ihm auflegt, - 29er halte seinen Mund in den Staub hin: »Vielleicht west eine Hoffnung!« 30Er halte seine Wange hin dem, der ihn schlagt, er sättige sich an der Schmach. 31Denn mein Herr verwirft nicht für immer, 32denn betrübt er, erbarmt er sich nach der Größe seiner Huld, 33denn nicht aus Herzenslust demütigt er und betrübt die Menschensöhne. 34Daß einer unter seine Füße tritt alle Gefangnen des Landes, 35daß einer das Recht eines Mannes beugt dem Antlitz des Höchsten zugegen, 36daß einer dem andern seine Streitsache krümmt, sieht es mein Herr etwa nicht? 37Wer ists der sprach und es ward, daß nicht mein Herr es geböte? 38Fährts nicht vom Munde des Höchsten aus, die Bösgeschicke und das Gute? 39Was hat der lebende Mensch zu klagen? jedermann über seine eigene Sünde! 40Prüfen, erforschen wir unsre Wege und kehren wir um bis zu IHM hin, 41tragen wir unser Herz auf den Händen dem Gottherrn im Himmel zu! 42Wir, wir waren abtrünnig und widerspenstig, du, du hast nicht verziehn. 43Du schirmtest im Zorne dich ab und du verfolgtest uns, du würgtest und schontest nicht, 44mit der Wolke schirmtest dus um dich ab gegen das Herzudringen eines Gebets. 45Du machtest aus uns Kehricht und Wegwurf den Weltstämmen mittinnen, 46all unsre Feinde rissen ihren Mund über uns auf. 47Schrecknis und Schrunde ward uns, das Zerbersten und der Zusammenbruch. 48Von Wasserbornen überfließt mir das Auge über den Zusammenbruch der Tochter meines Volks. 49Mein Auge verrinnt, nicht ists zu stillen, da keine Erschlaffungen sind, 50bis vom Himmel nieder ER lugt und sieht. 51Mein Auge spielt meiner Seele mit um alle Töchter meines Volks. 52Mich jagten, jagten wie einen Vogel, die mich grundlos befeinden, 53sie schweigten meinen Lebensgeist in der Grube und walzten auf mich einen Stein, 54sie schwemmten mir Wasser übers Haupt, - ich sprach zu mir: »Ich bin abgeschnitten«. 55Ich rief deinen Namen an, DU, aus der untersten Grube, 56du hast meine Stimme gehört: »Nimmer entziehe dein Ohr meinem Atemstoß, meinem Hilfeerflehn!« 57Du warst nah am Tag, da ich dich rief, du sprachst: »Fürchte dich nimmer!« 58Du strittest, mein Herr, die Streite meiner Seele, du löstest mein Leben aus. 59Du sahst, DU, mein Gekrümmtsein: »Rechte um mein Recht!« 60Du sahst all ihre Rachgier, all ihr Planen gegen mich, 61du hörtest ihr Schmähen, DU, all ihr Planen wider mich, 62das Lippenschwert derer, die gegen mich stehn, ihr Gemurmel all den Tag über. 63Ihr Sitzen und ihr Aufstehn, blicke darauf: ich bin ihr Klimperliedlein! 64Das Gefertigte wirst du auf sie kehren lassen, DU, nach dem Tun ihrer Hände, 65wirst ihnen Verkrustung des Herzens geben, deinen Fluch ihnen, 66wirst im Zorn sie verfolgen und sie vernichten von unter DEINEM Himmel hinweg.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 (Lam. 3:1-66)
seen affliction--his own in the dungeon of Malchiah (
Jer 38:6); that of his countrymen also in the siege. Both were types of that of Christ.
2 darkness--calamity.
light--prosperity.
3 turneth . . . hand--to inflict again and again new strokes. "His hand," which once used to protect me. "Turned . . . turneth" implies repeated inflictions.
4 (
Job 16:8).
5 builded--mounds, as against a besieged city, so as to allow none to escape (so
Lam 3:7,
Lam 3:9).
6 set me--HENDERSON refers this to the custom of placing the dead in a sitting posture.
dark places--sepulchers. As those "dead long since"; so Jeremiah and his people are consigned to oblivion (
Ps 88:5-
Ps 88:6;
Ps 143:3;
Ezek 37:13).
7 hedged-- (
Job 3:23;
Hos 2:6).
chain--literally, "chain of brass."
8 shutteth out--image from a door shutting out any entrance (
Job 30:20). So the antitype. Christ (
Ps 22:2).
9 hewn stone--which coheres so closely as not to admit of being broken through.
paths crooked--thwarted our plans and efforts so that none went right.
10 (
Job 10:16;
Hos 13:7-
Hos 13:8).
11 turned aside--made me wander out of the right way, so as to become a prey to wild beasts.
pulled in pieces-- (
Hos 6:1), as a "bear" or a "lion" (
Lam 3:10).
12 (
Job 7:20).
13 arrows--literally, "sons" of His quiver (compare
Job 6:4).
14 (
Jer 20:7).
their song-- (
Ps 69:12). Jeremiah herein was a type of Messiah. "All my people" (
John 1:11).
15 wormwood-- (
Jer 9:15). There it is regarded as food, namely, the leaves: here as drink, namely, the juice.
16 gravel--referring to the grit that often mixes with bread baked in ashes, as is the custom of baking in the East (
Pro 20:17). We fare as hardly as those who eat such bread. The same allusion is in "Covered me with ashes," namely, as bread.
17 Not only present, but all hope of future prosperity is removed; so much so, that I am as one who never was prosperous ("I forgat prosperity").
18 from the Lord--that is, my hope derived from Him (
Ps 31:22).
19 This gives the reason why he gave way to the temptation to despair. The Margin, "Remember" does not suit the sense so well.
wormwood . . . gall-- (
Jer 9:15).
20 As often as my soul calls them to remembrance, it is humbled or bowed down in me.
21 This--namely, what follows; the view of the divine character (
Lam 3:22-
Lam 3:23). CALVIN makes "this" refer to Jeremiah's infirmity. His very weakness (
Lam 3:19-
Lam 3:20) gives him hope of God interposing His strength for him (compare
Ps 25:11,
Ps 25:17;
Ps 42:5,
Ps 42:8;
2Cor 12:9-10).
22 (
Mal 3:6).
23 (
Isa 33:2).
24 (
Num 18:20;
Ps 16:5;
Ps 73:26;
Ps 119:57;
Jer 10:16). To have God for our portion is the one only foundation of hope.
25 The repetition of "good" at the beginning of each of the three verses heightens the effect.
wait-- (
Isa 30:18).
26 quietly wait--literally, "be in silence." Compare
Lam 3:28 and
Ps 39:2,
Ps 39:9, that is, to be patiently quiet under afflictions, resting in the will of God (
Ps 37:7). So Aaron (
Lev 10:2-
Lev 10:3); and Job (
Job 40:4-
Job 40:5).
27 yoke--of the Lord's disciplinary teaching (
Ps 90:12;
Ps 119:71). CALVIN interprets it, The Lord's doctrine (
Matt 11:29-
Matt 11:30), which is to be received in a docile spirit. The earlier the better; for the old are full of prejudices (
Pro 8:17;
Eccl 12:1). Jeremiah himself received the yoke, both of doctrine and chastisement in his youth (
Jer 1:6-
Jer 1:7).
28 The fruit of true docility and patience. He does not fight against the yoke (
Jer 31:18;
Acts 9:5), but accommodates himself to it.
alone--The heathen applauded magnanimity, but they looked to display and the praise of men. The child of God, in the absence of any witness, "alone," silently submits to the will of God.
borne it upon him--that is, because he is used to bearing it on him. Rather, "because He (the Lord,
Lam 3:26) hath laid it on him" [VATABLUS].
29 (
Job 42:6). The mouth in the dust is the attitude of suppliant and humble submission to God's dealings as righteous and loving in design (compare
Ezra 9:6;
1Cor 14:25).
if so be there may be hope--This does not express doubt as to whether GOD be willing to receive the penitent, but the penitent's doubt as to himself; he whispers to himself this consolation, "Perhaps there may be hope for me."
30 Messiah, the Antitype, fulfilled this; His practice agreeing with His precept (
Isa 50:6;
Matt 5:39). Many take patiently afflictions from God, but when man wrongs them, they take it impatiently. The godly bear resignedly the latter, like the former, as sent by God (
Ps 17:13).
31 True repentance is never without hope (
Ps 94:14).
32 The punishments of the godly are but for a time.
33 He does not afflict any willingly (literally, "from His heart," that is, as if He had any pleasure in it,
Ezek 33:11), much less the godly (
Heb 12:10).
34 This triplet has an infinitive in the beginning of each verse, the governing finite verb being in the end of
Lam 3:36, "the Lord approveth not," which is to be repeated in each verse. Jeremiah here anticipates and answers the objections which the Jews might start, that it was by His connivance they were "crushed under the feet" of those who "turned aside the right of a man." God approves (literally, "seeth,"
Hab 1:13; so "behold," "look on," that is, look on with approval) not of such unrighteous acts; and so the Jews may look for deliverance and the punishment of their foes.
35 before . . . face of . . . most High--Any "turning aside" of justice in court is done before the face of God, who Is present, and "regardeth," though unseen (
Eccl 5:8).
36 subvert--to wrong.
37 Who is it that can (as God,
Ps 33:9) effect by a word anything, without the will of God?
38 evil . . . good--Calamity and prosperity alike proceed from God (
Job 2:10;
Isa 45:7;
Amos 3:6).
39 living--and so having a time yet given him by God for repentance. If sin were punished as it deserves, life itself would be forfeited by the sinner. "Complaining" (murmuring) ill becomes him who enjoys such a favor as life (
Pro 19:3).
for the punishment of his sins--Instead of blaming God for his sufferings, he ought to recognize in them God's righteousness and the just rewards of his own sin.
40 us--Jeremiah and his fellow countrymen in their calamity.
search--as opposed to the torpor wherewith men rest only on their outward sufferings, without attending to the cause of them (
Ps 139:23-
Ps 139:24).
41 heart with . . . hands--the antidote to hypocrisy (
Ps 86:4;
1Tim 2:8).
42 not pardoned--The Babylonian captivity had not yet ended.
43 covered--namely, thyself (so
Lam 3:44), so as not to see and pity our calamities, for even the most cruel in seeing a sad spectacle are moved to pity. Compare as to God "hiding His face,"
Ps 10:11;
Ps 22:25.
44 (
Lam 3:8). The "cloud" is our sins, and God's wrath because of them (
Isa 44:22;
Isa 59:2).
45 So the apostles were treated; but, instead of murmuring, they rejoiced at it (
1Cor 4:13).
46 Pe is put before Ain (
Lam 3:43,
Lam 3:46), as in
Lam 2:16-
Lam 2:17;
Lam 4:16-
Lam 4:17. (
Lam 2:16.)
47 Like animals fleeing in fear, we fall into the snare laid for us.
48 (
Jer 4:19).
49 without . . . intermission--or else, "because there is no intermission" [PISCATOR], namely, Of my miseries.
50 Till--His prayer is not without hope, wherein it differs from the blind grief of unbelievers.
look down, &c.-- (
Isa 63:15).
51 eye affecteth mine heart--that is, causeth me grief with continual tears; or, "affecteth my life" (literally, "soul," Margin), that is, my health [GROTIUS].
daughters of . . . city--the towns around, dependencies of Jerusalem, taken by the foe.
52 a bird--which is destitute of counsel and strength. The allusion seems to be to
Pro 1:17 [CALVIN].
without cause-- (
Ps 69:4;
Ps 109:3-
Ps 109:4). Type of Messiah (
John 15:25).
53 in . . . dungeon-- (
Jer 37:16).
stone--usually put at the mouth of a dungeon to secure the prisoners (
Josh 10:18;
Dan 6:17;
Matt 27:60).
54 Waters--not literally, for there was "no water" (
Jer 38:6) in the place of Jeremiah's confinement, but emblematical of overwhelming calamities (
Ps 69:2;
Ps 124:4-
Ps 124:5).
cut off-- (
Isa 38:10-
Isa 38:11). I am abandoned by God. He speaks according to carnal sense.
55 I called out of dungeon--Thus the spirit resists the flesh, and faith spurns the temptation [CALVIN], (
Ps 130:1;
Jonah 2:2).
56 Thou hast heard--namely formerly (so in
Lam 3:57-
Lam 3:58).
breathing . . . cry--two kinds of prayer; the sigh of a prayer silently breathed forth, and the loud, earnest cry (compare "prayer," "secret speech,"
Isa 26:16, Margin; with "cry aloud,"
Ps 55:17).
57 Thou drewest near--with Thy help (
Jas 4:8).
58 Jeremiah cites God's gracious answers to his prayers as an encouragement to his fellow countrymen, to trust in Him.
pleaded-- (
Ps 35:1;
Mic 7:9).
59 God's past deliverances and His knowledge of Judah's wrongs are made the grounds of prayer for relief.
60 imaginations--devices (
Jer 11:19).
Their vengeance--means their malice. Jeremiah gives his conduct, when plotted against by his foes, as an example how the Jews should bring their wrongs at the hands of the Chaldeans before God.
61 their reproach--their reproachful language against me.
62 lips--speeches.
63 sitting down . . . rising up--whether they sit or rise, that is, whether they be actively engaged or sedentary, and at rest "all the day" (
Lam 3:62), I am the subject of their derisive songs (
Lam 3:14).
64 (
Jer 11:20;
2Tim 4:14).
65 sorrow--rather, blindness or hardness; literally, "a veil" covering their heart, so that they may rush on to their own ruin (
Isa 6:10;
2Cor 3:14-15).
66 from under . . . heavens of . . . Lord--destroy them so that it may be seen everywhere under heaven that thou sittest above as Judge of the world.