Lamentations was written after the Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. It is divided into five chapters each with 22 verses. In Hebrew, the original language each verse starts with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. It is poems of sorrow and suffering.
The use of poetry to express deep emotion is rooted deeply in culture. Psalms is a whole set of poems that work through a whole emotional range, from grief and anger to hope and joy.
When I attend bridal showers, weddings, baby showers, and funerals there is a good chance that someone will find a poem to quote. We rely on the words of gifted writers to express our deep emotions.
“Water is taught by thirst;
Land, by oceans passed:
Transport, by throe;
Peace, by battles told;
Love, by memorial mould;
Birds, by the snow.”
Emily Dickinson
And to those lines I would add, the gratitude is taught by loss. Losing something teaches you to be grateful when you have it, and also to be grateful for what you have.
If you lost a beloved family member, have you thought of the ways you loved them?
If you lost or changed jobs, has it made you grateful for the income?
If you lost a routine, what did you find to take it’s place?
Is there a loss that you are relieved about? A burden you no longer have to carry? Are you grateful for what it gave you and glad it’s over?
Acknowledgement: Music is J.S. Bach Suites for Cello
Bible Translation is the CSB
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