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Lamentations Chapter One

1. Chapter 1 is an acrostic poem, 22 verses long, each verse beginning with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  The alphabetical order matches Ps. 119 & Prov. 31
2. Jeremiah describes fallen Jerusalem in the 3rd person (Lam. 1:1-11).
3. Jeremiah speaks as fallen Jerusalem in the 1st person (Lam. 1:12-22).
4. Six times in this chapter the word “adversary” occurs (Lam. 1:5_x2,7_x2,10,17). צַר tsar ^#6862.
5. Five times in this chapter the verb “to comfort” occurs (Lam. 1:2,9,16,17,21).  נָחַם nācham ^#5162.
6. Chapter 1 has lamentations without any positive note of encouragement.

Lamentations Chapter Two

1. Chapter 2 is an acrostic poem, 22 verses long, each verse beginning with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  The alphabetical order is the Aramaic order which transposes ע & פּ.
2. Chapter 2 highlights the work of the Lord in destroying Jerusalem.  It wasn’t Babylon who did this—it was the Lord Himself.
3. Jeremiah endured the destruction of Jerusalem like Jesus Christ endured the suffering of the cross (Lam. 2:11; Jn. 12:27).
4. Chapter 2 has lamentations without any positive note of encouragement.  The closest Jeremiah comes to praising the Lord is to declare the Lord’s unwavering commitment to His own Word (Lam. 2:17).

Lamentations Chapter Three

1. Chapter 3 is an acrostic poem, 66 verses long, 3 verses each beginning with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  The alphabetical order is the Aramaic order which transposes ע & פּ.
2. Chapter 3 is “all about me.”  Jeremiah describes all the awful things the Lord has done to him personally.
3. Jeremiah surpassed even Job to become the most persecuted believer in the history of the world up to this point (Lam. 3:1-18(א,בּ,גּ,דּ,ה,ו)).
4. Even as his lamentations reached a crescendo, the Word of God in Jeremiah’s heart placed everything back into proper perspective (Lam. 3:19-39(ז,ח,ט,י,כּ,ל,מ)).
   1. A foundation in the Word of God is vital for the believer to have Doctrine available for use in testing (vv.19-21).
   2. The Lord’s lovingkindnesses חֲסָדִים ch^asādiym ^#2617 and compassions רַחֲמִים rach^amiym ^#7356 are infinitely expressed towards His children (v.22).
   3. Every morning the believer wakes up and testifies to the Lord’s faithfulness אֱמוּנָה ’^emuwnāh ^#530.
   4. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him (Lam. 3:25-26; Nah. 1:7; Rom. 8:28).
   5. All living mortals must place their own worthlessness on the scales when they begin to think that the Lord is being unfair towards them (v.39).
5. With God’s perspective, a believer learns to examine himself during times of undeserved suffering and/or divine discipline (Lam. 3:40-48 (נ,ס,פּ)).

6. With God’s perspective, a believer learns to grieve, but not as the rest who have no hope (Lam. 3:49-66 (ע,צ,ק,ר,שׁ,תּ); 1st Thess. 4:13).

Lamentations Chapter Four

1. Chapter 4 is an acrostic poem, 22 verses long, each verse beginning with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  The alphabetical order is the Aramaic order which transposes ע & פּ.
2. Chapter 4 focuses on the contrast between then and now.  Believers cannot dwell on what used to be, but must observe what is, and what will be in the Lord’s faithfulness (Lam. 4:1-10).
3. Believers will be an example for unbelievers to learn from: either a positive example of blessing for obedience, or a negative example of divine discipline for disobedience (Lam. 4:11-20).
4. The fall of a believer into sin and judgment will be a time of rejoicing for the unbeliever, but that unbeliever (represented by Edom) better beware (Lam. 4:21-22).