Texts in Conversation
Lamentations follows ancient Near Eastern lament traditions by voicing grief and protest before its deity, then turning toward renewal at daybreak. Similar praise is used in Mesopotamian laments, where Marduk's night anger gives way to morning mercy.
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The Poem of the Righteous Sufferer
Ludlul Bēl Nēmeqi
Ancient Near East
I will praise the lord of wisdom, the considerate god, angry at night but relenting at daybreak. Marduk, the lord of wisdom, the considerate god, angry at night but relenting at daybreak. In his fury he is like a violent storm, a wasteland, yet his blowing is pleasant, like a breeze at dawn. In his anger he is irresistible, his fury a flood, yet his mind is merciful, his mood relenting. The brunt of his hands the heavens cannot bear, yet his palm is so gentle it rescues the dying.
Date: 1300 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Lamentations 3:22
Hebrew Bible
20 I continually think about this, and I am depressed. 21 But this I call to mind; therefore I have hope: 22 ח (Khet) The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end. 23 They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant! 24 “My portion is the Lord,” I have said to myself, so I will put my hope in him. 25 ט (Tet) The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to the one who seeks him.
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Notes and References
"... The principal genre or literary form of Lamentations is the lament, but laments come in several types that converge in Lamentations. Laments are prayers that erupt from wounds, burst out of unbearable pain, and bring it to language. Laments complain, shout, and protest. They take anger and despair before God and the community. They grieve. They argue. They find fault. Without complaint there is no lament form ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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