Lamentations 4
Lutheran reading notes
In Lamentations chapter 4, the prophetic message continues to reveal themes of lament over Jerusalem’s destruction and hope in God's mercy. Lutheran interpretation often emphasizes the contrast between divine law, which exposes sin, and the promise of grace through God's future redemption. The chapter illustrates both warning and hope within God's covenant relationship.
1
How is the gold become dim! {how} is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.
Lamentations 4:1 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
Lamentations 4:2 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people {is become} cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. {sea...: or, sea calves}
Lamentations 4:3 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, {and} no man breaketh {it} unto them.
Lamentations 4:4 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
5
They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
Lamentations 4:5 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her. {punishment of the iniquity: or, iniquity}
Lamentations 4:6 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing {was} of sapphire:
Lamentations 4:7 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. {blacker...: Heb. darker than blackness}
Lamentations 4:8 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
{They that be} slain with the sword are better than {they that be} slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for {want of} the fruits of the field. {pine...: Heb. flow out}
Lamentations 4:9 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Lamentations 4:10 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
11
The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.
Lamentations 4:11 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
12
The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.
Lamentations 4:12 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
13
For the sins of her prophets, {and} the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her,
Lamentations 4:13 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
They have wandered {as} blind {men} in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments. {so...: or, in that they could not but touch}
Lamentations 4:14 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
15
They cried unto them, Depart ye; {it is} unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn {there}. {it...: or, ye polluted}
Lamentations 4:15 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders. {anger: or, face}
Lamentations 4:16 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
17
As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation {that} could not save {us}.
Lamentations 4:17 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
18
They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
Lamentations 4:18 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
19
Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
Lamentations 4:19 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.
Lamentations 4:20 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
21
Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.
Lamentations 4:21 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
22
The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins. {The...: or, Thine iniquity} {discover...: or, carry thee captive for thy sins}
Lamentations 4:22 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.