Daily Devotions

Lamentations is a unique book in the Old Testament. It contains five poems from an anonymous author, who survived and is reflecting back on Babylon’s siege of Jerusalem, its destruction and exile that followed. The Book is divided into five chapters. Each chapter represents a separate poem.

The design of the five poems is an intentional part of the book’s message.

Chapters 1-4 are made up of acrostics, or alphabet poems, in which each poetic verse begins with a new letter of the Hebrew alphabet, consisting of 22 letters. This very ordered and linear structure is a stark contrast to the disordered pain and confused grief explored in the poems. It’s like Israel’s suffering is explored A to Z, trying to express that which is inexpressible.

Whilst most are perhaps not familiar with the detail of Lamentations the essence of the third poem, I am sure, will be familiar to most worshipers.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him; Lamentations 3:22-25

Two hymns immediately come to mind, Thomas Chisholm's “Great is thy faithfulness,” and the words of “New every morning is the love, our wakening and uprising prove” by John Keeble.

Captain Robert Campbell was a British POW captured by Germany during World War I. When his mother became gravely ill, he begged to visit her. He promised Kaiser Wilhelm II that if he would be allowed to leave captivity and see his mother, he would voluntarily return to be imprisoned again. 

Campbell was granted his request, and he was a man of his word. Though he could easily have decided to take the easy route and not return, he kept his promise. Similarly, God’s word is trustworthy, he is always faithful. When he promises  something, he is honour bound to fulfil his promise. His word is his bond.

Lord, I praise you

because your unfailing love

never ends!

By your mercies I have been kept from complete destruction.

Great is your faithfulness;

your mercies begin afresh each day.

You are my inheritance;

therefore, I will hope in you.

You are unfailingly good

to those whose hope is in you,

to those who seek you.

Teach me to wait quietly for your salvation. Amen

Help me to submit to your yoke of discipline.

Let me sit alone in silence beneath your demands.

Amen.