Daleth
“The tongue
Of the infant
Sticks
To the roof
Of its mouth
For thirst.
The children
Beg for food.
But no one gives
Them anything.”
The situation in Jerusalem was dire, since the infants are so thirsty that their tongues stick to the roof of their mouths. The children had to beg for food. But even then, there was no one to give them food. This verse starts with the Hebrew consonant letter Daleth in this acrostic poem.
Gimel
“Even the jackals
Offer their breast.
They nurse
Their young.
But my people
Have become cruel,
Like the ostriches
In the wilderness.”
How do you care for the young children and infants? This author points out that even the wild jackals nurse their young infants. However, his people, meaning those left in Jerusalem, have become cruel. They are more like the ostriches in the desert wilderness. Somehow ostriches were considered cruel. This verse starts with the Hebrew consonant letter Gimel in this acrostic poem.
Beth
“The precious children
Of Zion!
They are worth
Their weight
In fine gold!
How they are reckoned
As earthen pots!
They are the work
Of a potter’s hands!”
This author turns to the precious children of Zion, who are worth their weight in gold. They are the earthen jugs of the potter who made them. Thus the God made children of Jerusalem are worth more than gold. This verse starts with the Hebrew consonant letter Beth in this acrostic poem.
Aleph
“How the gold
Has grown dim!
How the pure gold
Is changed!
The sacred stones
Lie scattered
At the head
Of every street.”
This lamentation begins with talk about the dimming gold and sacred stones scattered all over the streets, especially at the head of the street or the street corners. This is a reference to the holy treasures and vessels of the Temple that have been stolen due to the attack on Jerusalem. This first verse of this single verse acrostic poem starts with the Hebrew consonant letter Aleph. Each verse after this will use the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Taw
“Pay them back
For their deeds!
O Yahweh!
According to the work
Of their hands,
Give them anguish
Of heart!
May your curse
Be on them!
Pursue them
In anger!
Destroy them
From under Yahweh’s heavens!”
This personal lament ends with a plea to Yahweh to destroy his enemies. This author was very clear. He wanted his enemies paid back for what they had done. Yahweh was to use his own hands and his own anger. They were to receive an anguished heart. They should be cursed, pursued, and destroyed. They should be wiped out from under God’s heavens. These three verses start with the final Hebrew consonant letter Taw, since this is the last section of this acrostic poem.
Shin
“You have heard
Their taunts!
O Yahweh!
You have heard
All their plots
Against me!
The whispers
With the murmurs
Of my assailants
Are against me
All day long.
Whether they sit
Or whether they rise,
I am the object
Of their taunt songs.”
This personalized lamentation approach continues with a complaint against his enemies who taunt him. They plot against him with whispers and murmurs all day long. Whether they are sitting around or moving about, they continue to make him the object of their taunting songs. These three verses start with the Hebrew consonant letter Shin in this acrostic poem.
Resh
“You have taken up
My cause!
O Yahweh!
You have redeemed
My life!
You have seen
The wrong
Done to me!
O Yahweh!
Judge my cause!
You have seen
All their malice!
You have seen
All their plots
Against me!”
This personalized lament continued, but this time on a positive note. Yahweh has taken up his cause. He has redeemed his life. He has seen the wrong things that were done to him. Yahweh was going to judge his case, since he saw all the malice that other people have done against him with their various plots. These three verses start with the Hebrew consonant letter Resh in this acrostic poem.
Qoph
“I called
On your name!
O Yahweh!
From the depths
Of the pit!
You heard my plea!
‘Do not close
Your ear
To my cry
For help!
But give me relief!’
You came near
When I called
On you.
You said.
‘Do not fear!’”
This personalized lament continues with a prayer from the bottom of the pit. This author called out to Yahweh. Yahweh then heard his plea as he did not close his ears. He responded to his cry for relief as he came near to him. Yahweh told him not to fear. There may be a happy ending after all this lamentation. These three verses start with the Hebrew consonant letter Qoph in this acrostic poem.
Cade
“My enemies,
Without cause,
Have hunted me
Like a bird.
They flung me
Alive
Into a pit.
They hurled stones
On me.
Water closed
Over my head.
I said.
‘I am lost.’”
This personal story continues. The author’s enemies have hunted him down like a bird, even though there was no reason to do so. They have flung him alive into a pit and threw stones over him. Then water closed over his head in this pit. He finally said that he was lost with no way out. This is reminiscent of Jeremiah in the cistern well under King Zedekiah in Jeremiah, chapter 38. These three verses start with the Hebrew consonant letter Cade in this acrostic poem.
Ayin
“My eyes will flow
Without ceasing.
They will flow
Without respite,
Until Yahweh
From heaven
Looks down,
Until Yahweh
Sees them.
My eyes
Cause me grief
At the fate
Of all the young women
In my city.”
The personal lament of this author continues. He was full of flowing, unceasing, and unstoppable tears. He wanted Yahweh to look down from heaven to see him crying. His eyes were causing him grief at what was happening to the young girls of his city. These three verses start with the Hebrew consonant letter Ayin in this acrostic poem.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 