What’s it about? In the poetic language of thi, Jeremiah is referring to the city of Jerusalem. It’s interesting how he is relating to the city as if it were a friend. And a female friend at that. The structure of this is facinating because it’s a male talking intimately about a female friend. All her lovers, all her friends, none comfort her.
What is it saying to the original readers? As people in exile, they would have identified with the language of the city as a long lost friend. In their captivity it would have been easy to talk about the good old days. Those in exile would have Monday morning quarterbacked the whole thing, “What about King Z, didn’t he say he would protect us from this?” “We were betrayed!” At the same time, the former residents of Jerusalem would have felt like they were the lovers who forgot about Jerusalem. I am sure they would have felt immense guilt over the city’s fall. What could they have done? How could they have avoided God’s judgment? I can imagine a depression of the people as they endured exile.
What does it mean to me? The poetic language captivates me. In some ways it reminds me of the antithesis of the buzz you get at a conference. When I come back from camp or some sort of fun event, the high wears off and a little depression sets in. I miss the people I hung out with or want to hear the speakers more, or the music really connected me to God, or there was something with being away from home that allowed me to deal with stuff in my life. It’s as if I didn’t appreciate and get the most out of the good times and I want that back.
The intriguing thing is that this verse isn’t about the people. It’s about the city. The city is the one left behind. It’s like the building groaning when people leave church on Sunday morning. The building or the venue feels like a forgotten lover. You just used me, made me feel special, but then you left me hear to deal with this garbage!
Eugene Peterson captures the burning hearts cry of this passage well:
She cries herself to sleep each night, tears soaking her pillow.
No one’s left among her lovers to sit and hold her hand.
Her friends have all dumped her. Lamentations 1:2
Are there times when I feel like that? You bet. Are there times when I’ve done that to someone? You bet.
And I think the “Christian response” doesn’t allow for the pain. We ask people to get over it too quickly, forgetting that part of our connection to God is fully grasping our own pain.
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