Lamentations 3 is the centre of this little book beginning with despair at Babylon's siege and destruction of Jerusalem, but then switching to hope in the Lord whose "compassions never fail... and whose faithfulness is great". Initially the author remarks about having experienced "the rod of God's wrath... he has besieged me... he has weighed me down in chains... he shuts out my prayer... he pierced my heart with arrows... he has broken my teeth with gravel". The author feels trapped, beaten and abandoned by God. Then the author "calls to mind that which gives him hope... that is that 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... the Lord is my portion... I will wait for him... it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord... for men are not cast off by the Lord forever... why should any man complain when punished for his sins?" Finally the author calls the nation to "examine our ways, repent, and return to the Lord... I called on your ways O Lord, from the depths of the pit... and you heard my plea... you redeemed my life... pay back my enemies O Lord"!
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