Bonus Content for Lamentations Chapter 1

​Hebrew poetry, while intimidating, is a beautiful work of art. Beyond literary awe, by faith, we trust that it is God’s Word and message to us, inspired by His Holy Spirit, announced through human voices, demonstrated in the person and work of Jesus Christ, and extended through the Body of Christ, the church (you and me).

At first glance, Lamentations 1 looks like a sad poem. It begins with loneliness and weeping. It continues to describe being abused and bullied. And then there is a deep remorse and repentance that we have rebelled against God and mistreated others. In the end, all we want is to be seen by God.

And the poet, inspired by God’s Holy Spirit, gives us hope in the middle of the disaster he describes happening all around him and to him.

The poem is written as a chiasm.

The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters. If you divide them into two sections, you’d have 11 letters in each section. If you arrange the first 11 letters to form a downward arrow and the last 11 letters to form an upward arrow and then join them together, you form an “X” (chi). And in the perfect middle of the “X” are the last two lines of verse 11: “Look, O Lord, and see, for I am despised.”. 

When it comes to chiasms, the center where the two sides of the alphabet meet signals the most critical point of the entire poem.

I think the English translation is somewhat lacking because the Hebrew word zalal, while translated as despised, carries the understanding that to be despised means to be a squanderer, worthless, or insignificant.

​Interesting.

Fast forward several centuries, and Jesus shares a story about a squanderer.

Once, a son rudely asks his dad for his share of the inheritance, as if his dad is dead. Surprisingly, the dad agrees and gives him the money. The son leaves for a faraway place and squanders everything away through foolish living. He feels worthless and insignificant - so much so that he chooses to live in a pig pen.

Feeling ashamed for squandering his dad's stuff and believing his dad despises him because of his foolishness, the son decides to return home and work as a slave-servant. On his way back home, the dad, who has been looking for him, spots him from afar. The dad rushes to him, hugs him tightly, and they walk home together.

Before the son can say anything, the dad dresses him in the family robe and puts a ring on his finger (showing he's a full part of the family). Then, the dad throws a huge party to celebrate his son's return, because he was lost and now he's found.

 “Look, O Lord, and see, for I am a squanderer.” is the cry of Jeremiah (individually), the Hebrew people in Babylon (collectively), and you and me today.

The good news is that God our Father loves welcoming us squanderers home.

So, next time you feel worthless, insignificant, or despised - remember, while you might be a squanderer - Jesus already sees you as He is running out to welcome you home.

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