Grasping God
Lamentations 3:1-66
“Course He isn’t safe. But He’s good.” Mr. Beaver uses these words to describe the Lion, Aslan, the King of the wood in C. S. Lewis’s book, “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.” Throughout the story, readers discover that Aslan represents Christ, offering many of the same qualities and paralleling many of the same actions of the Savior. Mr. Beaver offers these words to four children visiting Narnia as part of a prophetic fulfillment. In this prophecy, four human children will come and, with Aslan’s guidance, free Narnia from the clutches of The White Witch. These children, after discovering that Aslan is a lion, inquire regarding the safety of being in Aslan’s presence.[1] It is in the midst of this inquiry that Mr. Beaver offers two descriptions regarding the King of the wood: not safe and good.
While Aslan represents Christ, being not safe and good can serve as descriptors for all three people of the godhead. These two adjectives also help in understanding the experience of the poet in Lamentations 3, in regards to God. As the poet explores God’s actions in the life of Israel, the poet discovers a fear of God because God is not safe. The poet also discovers that God is good!
The themes explored in the beginning of Lamentations seem familiar. The poet reflects on God’s unrelenting punishment due to Israel’s breaking of the covenant. The distinct difference between this poem and the previous poems is the first person voice. The poet claims, “I am the man.” By doing this, he makes the suffering personal, declaring he understands the crushing nature of God’s wrath.
The poet explores God’s wrath and the fact that God is not safe through a series of metaphors in verses 1-18. He begins by turning a comforting metaphor upside down. Verse 1 announces that the affliction comes through the rod of God’s wrath. Shepherds used the rod for various purposes: a tool for correction and guidance and as a weapon to fight off wild animals that threaten the flock. Psalm 23 speaks of the shepherd’s rod as a tool which comforts the sheep. Here though, the rod threatens the sheep. This tool is used to bring wrath down upon God’s people. God uses it to drive the sheep away, out of light and into darkness. God uses it to break the sheep’s bones.[2] The shepherd has to adopt behaviors of correction and punishment in response to the sheep’s overt rebellion.
A second metaphor, beginning at verse 7, pictures God as a jailor.[3] The poet finds himself walled in and bound up with chains. God will not even hear the poet’s cries for help and desperate prayers!
Then in verse 9, the poet realizes that God does not direct along straight paths. In the wisdom tradition highlighted in Proverbs, the wise person who trusts in God finds himself or herself walking along straight paths. Here, the poet finds himself wandering on crooked paths. The poet can no longer grasp God’s wisdom due to God’s necessary response to rebellion.
Following this, the poet offers a series of metaphors emphasizing God’s violent pursuit of the poet. Verse 10 imagines God as wild animals, lying in wait for prey. Both the bear and lion were known as threats to sheep in Israel. David is said to have defeated both while shepherding. Here, God, in the guise of these animals, becomes predator. A second violent metaphor that emphasizes God’s destructive intentions toward the poet is that of an archer on the hunt. God pierces the heart with His arrows. The word translated heart actually means kidneys. In Ancient Near Eastern thought, the kidney was thought to be the seat of joy and grief.[4] God pierces the center of the poet’s emotions, aiming to destroy that which the poet dedicates his passion to.
This leads to further descriptions of pain. Since the poet has betrayed God, he finds himself in despair. God has destroyed and given the poet bitterness to consume. God, who made Israel the envy of nations, has now stripped Israel of all value, leaving it destitute. The poet now knows that God is not safe. God roars and terrorizes. God’s wrath must come crashing down upon the rebellious heart of the people.
As the poet acknowledges this reality, he also remembers that God is not only unsafe, but also good. The poet recalls four truths about God that allow for hope even in the midst of God’s wrath. The first of these, in verse 22, is the Lord’s great love. This translates the word hesed (dsH) which means love, kindness, and loyalty. Hesed does not spring from requirements of the law, but comes out of the character and desire of the one who acts.[5] God’s character is defined by this freely given love, kindness, and loyalty. Even in the midst of the destruction and exile, God continues to love and care for the people. He does not consume or overcome the people.
The poet also witnesses to God’s compassion, declaring that it never fails. The word translated as compassion, rahamaw (vymHr), conveys warm, emotional, and tender care like that of a mother.[6] The root of the Hebrew word means womb.[7] The poet uses this as a parallel term to hesed, further emphasizing the fullness of God’s deep and abiding love for people. As the people face the just consequences for their rebellion and injustice, that can know God’s ever present compassion.
Following this, the poet declares, “great is your faithfulness.” This phrase announces a mighty truth: God is steadfast in His commitment. The word for faithfulness, emunah (hnvmx), also means fidelity or firmness. This word points to the truth that God is persistent in offering a relationship to people.[8] God always seeks after people no matter where we run or try to hide. God persistently offers love and compassion no matter what actions of hate, injustice, and rebellion have flowed from the lives of people. The judgement that leads to Israel’s exile ironically shows a method of God’s seeking. Through this judgement the people return to God, longing for the relationship and grace God always offers.
In verse 24, the poet announces that the Lord is his portion. The Hebrew word helqi (yqlh) means inheritance and also refers to the spoils of war. In Leviticus 18:20, the Lord states that He is Levi’s portion when the tribe does not receive inheritance in the land of Canaan. As their inheritance, God should be the chief delight and possession of the tribe of Levi.[9] The suffering poet lays claim to the priestly inheritance, acknowledging the relationship that exists between the God of the covenant with the people. God is the poet’s chief delight and possession.
The acknowledgement of these four truths: God as great lover, compassionate parent, faithful friend, and inheritance leads the poet to experience hope. As these qualities of God inspire hope in the life of the poet, he claims certain actions, encouraging the people to rediscover God and their dependence on God in the midst of the suffering.
The poet vows to wait for the Lord, declaring the need for patience and silence. The poet buries his face in the dust, adopting actions of mourning and confession. As the poet takes these actions, he realizes further truth about God. God does not willingly bring grief or affliction on anyone. It breaks God’s heart when people suffer. God weeps when He must bring punishment upon on us. God is just like a parent who compassionately corrects the wayward child, yet feels remorse in doing so. In acknowledging this, the poet must also acknowledge that God has justification in punishing Israel.
Then in verse 40, the poet encourages all the people to examine their ways and test them. The concept of “the ways” comes from wisdom literature, representing life’s journey. A person can take one of two ways: the way of the godly, wise person or the way of the ungodly, foolish person.[10] All people should carefully evaluate the way they walk. Then, if we discover we have walked along the way of the ungodly, foolish person, we must return to the Lord. Returning to the Lord is done with prayer and confession.
These acts of prayer and confession inspire the poet to continue the cry to God, a cry in which the poet continues to acknowledge the horror of Israel’s situation and the seeming lack of response from God. Verse 55 begins the earnest cry to God. The poet finds himself stuck in a pit with the waters pouring over his head and declares to God, “I call your name!” Translating verses 55-58 in the imperative rather than in the past tense makes better sense. The imperative tense indicates a desire for immediate, present action. Translating in this way builds on the hope exclaimed as this poem develops. In verses 43-53, the poet reflects on the fact that God has not responded. Now the poet prays in greater urgency, depending on the truth of God’s character, begging God to act.[11] Understanding God as the good, faithful lover inspires the poet to pray with certainty. God will redeem! The poet also knows that God brings justice. Therefore, the poem concludes with a plea for God to bring judgement upon the enemies, those who have acted against Israel, taking the people into exile.
God is not safe! In His holiness and justice, He must respond to humanity’s rebellion and acts of injustice with wrath. Yet, God is good! He does not truly desire to bring turmoil and judgement into people’s lives. God loves all people fully, with a commitment we cannot come close to understanding. He faithfully invests Himself in relationship with people, inviting us to receive Him as our most treasured inheritance. In the midst of the suffering and sorrow of life, cling to the truth of God’s love, compassion, and faithfulness. Even when that suffering and sorrow come because of our choices, we can know that God is good!
Prayer: Ever-loving God, we thank you for your commitment to a relationship with each person. The fullness of your love and faithfulness are unimaginable! Yet, we also know we rebel against you, committing acts of injustice. Please hear us as we call out to you, seeking forgiveness and reconciliation. In your great compassion, hear us and heal us! Please surround us with your love as we learn to cherish you. We ask these things in the love of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
[1] C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. (New York: Collier Books, 1972), 74-76.
[2] Christopher J. H. Wright, The Message of Lamentations. (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2015) www.scribd.com edition, 137.
[3] Ibid., 139.
[4] Tremper Longman III, New International Biblical Commentary: Jeremiah, Lamentations. (Peabody: Hendrickson, 2008), 366.
[5] J. Andrew Dearman, The NIV Application Commentary: Jeremiah/Lamentations. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002), 459.
[6] J. Daniel Hays, Jeremiah and Lamentations. (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2016), www.scribd.com edition, 571.
[7] Dearman, 459.
[8] Ibid, 368.
[9] Walter C. Kaiser, A Biblical Approach to Personal Suffering. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1982), 88.
[10] Longman, 372.
[11] Ibid., 376.
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