Rev. Matt Ulmer, pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Bishop, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Lamentations 5:1-22.
The closing chapter of Lamentations ties the themes from the entire book together in a prayer directed to the LORD. The people call upon Him to remember them; this is not merely mental recollection, but a request that the LORD would act for their good once again. The people lament their great suffering from the loss of their homeland, the exile of the Davidic king, and the destruction of the temple. They confess plainly that the LORD has brought this upon them justly as a consequence of their idolatry and rebellion against Him. Yet they cry out to Him as their only hope, for His reign endures forever. They put themselves entirely in the LORD’s hands, praying for restoration and trusting that what He does is good and right. The LORD ultimately answers their prayer through the work of His Son, Jesus.
“Mercy for Mourners” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Lamentations. As Jeremiah and the people of Judah mourn over the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, they acknowledge God’s just wrath against them, confess their iniquity, and plead for His deliverance. In this way, the book of Lamentations teaches us to pray in repentance and faith so that we would see Christ as the One who has taken the wrath of God on Himself in our place to deliver us by His death and resurrection.
