WALKING IN DARKNESS

Passage: Lamentations 3:1-18

Key verse: 2

NIV

3 [a]I am the man who has seen affliction(A)
    by the rod of the Lord’s wrath.(B)
2 He has driven me away and made me walk
    in darkness(C) rather than light;
3 indeed, he has turned his hand against me(D)
    again and again, all day long.

4 He has made my skin and my flesh grow old(E)
    and has broken my bones.(F)
5 He has besieged me and surrounded me
    with bitterness(G) and hardship.(H)
6 He has made me dwell in darkness
    like those long dead.(I)

7 He has walled me in so I cannot escape;(J)
    he has weighed me down with chains.(K)
8 Even when I call out or cry for help,(L)
    he shuts out my prayer.(M)
9 He has barred(N) my way with blocks of stone;
    he has made my paths crooked.(O)

10 Like a bear lying in wait,
    like a lion(P) in hiding,(Q)
11 he dragged me from the path and mangled(R) me
    and left me without help.
12 He drew his bow(S)
    and made me the target(T) for his arrows.(U)

13 He pierced(V) my heart
    with arrows from his quiver.(W)
14 I became the laughingstock(X) of all my people;(Y)
    they mock me in song(Z) all day long.
15 He has filled me with bitter herbs
    and given me gall to drink.(AA)

16 He has broken my teeth with gravel;(AB)
    he has trampled me in the dust.(AC)
17 I have been deprived of peace;
    I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 So I say, “My splendor is gone
    and all that I had hoped from the Lord.”(AD)

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Footnotes
  1. Lamentations 3:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem; the verses of each stanza begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and the verses within each stanza begin with the same letter.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Great Is Your Faithfulness

3 (A)I am the man who has seen affliction
    under the (B)rod of his wrath;
2 he has driven and brought me
    (C)into darkness without any light;
3 surely against me he turns his hand
    again and again the whole day long.

4 He has made my flesh and my skin waste away;
    (D)he has broken my bones;
5 (E)he has besieged and enveloped me
    with (F)bitterness and tribulation;
6 (G)he has made me dwell in darkness
    like the dead of long ago.

7 (H)He has walled me about so that (I)I cannot escape;
    he has made my chains heavy;
8 though (J)I call and cry for help,
    he shuts out my prayer;
9 (K)he has blocked my ways with blocks of stones;
    he has made my paths crooked.

10 (L)He is a bear lying in wait for me,
    a lion in hiding;
11 (M)he turned aside my steps and (N)tore me to pieces;
    (O)he has made me desolate;
12 (P)he bent his bow (Q)and set me
    as a target for his arrow.

13 He drove into my kidneys
    (R)the arrows of his quiver;
14 (S)I have become the laughingstock of all peoples,
    (T)the object of their taunts all day long.
15 (U)He has filled me with bitterness;
    he has sated me with (V)wormwood.

16 (W)He has made my teeth grind on gravel,
    and (X)made me cower in ashes;
17 my soul is bereft of peace;
    I have forgotten what happiness[a] is;
18 (Y)so I say, “My endurance has perished;
    so has my hope from the Lord.”

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Footnotes
  1. Lamentations 3:17 Hebrew good
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. A man who has seen affliction (1-9) After two chapters of communal laments, the laments in chapter 3 are personal. The author speaks of his own affliction. God has driven him away and he walks and dwells in darkness. Everywhere he turns, he sees and experiences bitterness and hardship. God is against him and does not answer his prayers. He suffers physically, emotionally and spiritually. The author feels that there is no escape from his suffering. 2. My splendor is gone (1 -18) Though the author once enjoyed peace and prosperity, God has now dragged him from that path. He has been mangled. He feels he is without help. His heart is pierced by God's arrows. He has become a laughingstock, mocked all day long. The author laments that God has trampled him in the dust. His pain and grief are so acute that he no longer remembers his former days of blessing. We feel the same when God removes his blessing from our lives. But when we repent and receive forgiveness in Christ, God restores his blessing.

Prayer: Lord, I walk in darkness without you. Forgive my sins and help me to walk in the light of Christ.

One Word: O Lord, keep me close to you