Jamieson, Fausset and Brown on Lamentations 3

CHAPTER (ELEGY) 3

La 3:1-66.

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 (La 3:22, 40-47). The stanzas consist of three lines, each of which begins with the same Hebrew letter.

Aleph.

1-3. seen affliction--his own in the dungeon of Malchiah (Jr 38:6); that of his countrymen also in the siege. Both were types of that of Christ.

4-6. (Job 16:8).

7-9. hedged--(Job 3:23; Ho 2:6).

chain--literally, "chain of brass."

10-13. (Job 10:16; Ho 13:7, 8).

16-18. gravel--referring to the grit that often mixes with bread baked in ashes, as is the custom of baking in the East (Pr 20:17). We fare as hardly as those who eat such bread. The same allusion is in "Covered me with ashes," namely, as bread.

19-21. 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--(Jr 9:15).

22-24. (Mal 3:6).

25-27. The repetition of "good" at the beginning of each of the three verses heightens the effect.

wait--(Is 30:18).

28-30. The fruit of true docility and patience. He does not fight against the yoke (Jr 31:18; Ac 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, La 3:26) hath laid it on him" [Vatablus].

31-33. True repentance is never without hope (Psa 94:14).

34-36. This triplet has an infinitive in the beginning of each verse, the governing finite verb being in the end of La 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," Ha 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.

37-39. Who is it that can (as God, Psa 33:9) effect by a word anything, without the will of God?

40-42. 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 (Psa 139:23, 24).

43-45. covered--namely, thyself (so La 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," Psa 10:11; 22:25.

46-48. Pe is put before Ain (La 3:43, 46), as in La 2:16, 17; 4:16, 17. (La 2:16.)

49-51. without ... intermission--or else, "because there is no intermission" [Piscator], namely, of my miseries.

52-54. a bird--which is destitute of counsel and strength. The allusion seems to be to Pr 1:17 [Calvin].

without cause--(Psa 69:4; 109:3, 4). Type of Messiah (Joh 15:25).

55-57. I called out of dungeon--Thus the spirit resists the flesh, and faith spurns the temptation [Calvin], (Psa 130:1; Jon 2:2).

58-60. Jeremiah cites God's gracious answers to his prayers as an encouragement to his fellow countrymen, to trust in Him.

pleaded--(Psa 35:1; Mi 7:9).

61-63. their reproach--their reproachful language against me.

64-66. (Jr 11:20; 2Ti 4:14).