Lamentations 2:18
The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord. O wall of the Daughter of Zion, let your tears run down like a river day and night. Give yourself no relief, and your eyes no rest.
The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord
The phrase "hearts of the people" refers to the innermost being and emotions of the Israelites. In Hebrew, the word for heart is "לֵב" (lev), which often signifies the center of human thought, emotion, and will. This cry is not merely vocal but a deep, spiritual lamentation, reflecting a profound sense of loss and desperation. Historically, this cry arises from the devastation of Jerusalem, a city that was the heart of Jewish worship and identity. The people are turning to the Lord, acknowledging Him as their only source of hope and deliverance amidst their suffering.

O wall of Daughter Zion
"Daughter Zion" is a poetic term for Jerusalem, personifying the city as a daughter, which conveys a sense of endearment and vulnerability. The "wall" symbolizes protection and strength, yet here it is addressed as if it were a living entity capable of mourning. This reflects the ancient Near Eastern practice of attributing human characteristics to cities and their features. The wall, once a symbol of security, now stands as a witness to the city's destruction and the people's sorrow.

let your tears flow like a river day and night
The imagery of tears flowing "like a river" suggests an unending and overwhelming grief. In Hebrew culture, rivers often symbolize abundance and continuity. Here, the metaphor emphasizes the depth and constancy of the mourning. The call for tears to flow "day and night" indicates a relentless, unceasing lamentation, underscoring the severity of the calamity that has befallen Jerusalem. This reflects the historical context of the Babylonian siege and destruction, which left the city in ruins and its people in despair.

give yourself no relief
The phrase "give yourself no relief" is a call to persistent mourning. The Hebrew root for "relief" is "פָּרַק" (paraq), which can mean to loosen or to let go. The instruction here is to maintain a state of lament without seeking comfort or distraction. This reflects the seriousness of the situation and the need for genuine repentance and reflection. In the conservative Christian perspective, this can be seen as a call to earnest prayer and seeking God's face in times of distress.

and your eyes no rest
The command for "your eyes no rest" further emphasizes the intensity of the lamentation. In the Hebrew context, eyes are often associated with perception and understanding. The lack of rest for the eyes suggests a continual awareness and acknowledgment of the tragedy. It is a call to remain vigilant and engaged in the process of mourning and repentance. This relentless focus on the calamity serves as a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the need for His mercy and restoration.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Daughter of Zion
This term is a poetic reference to the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants. It personifies the city as a daughter, emphasizing its relationship with God and its current state of distress.

2. The Wall of the Daughter of Zion
Symbolizes the protection and strength of Jerusalem, which has been breached and destroyed, leading to the city's lament.

3. The Lord
The covenant God of Israel, to whom the people cry out in their distress, seeking mercy and restoration.

4. The Cry of the Heart
Represents the deep, emotional plea of the people of Jerusalem as they face the consequences of their disobedience and the resulting destruction.

5. Tears Like a River
A vivid image of continuous mourning and repentance, indicating the depth of sorrow and the need for persistent prayer.
Teaching Points
The Power of Persistent Prayer
Just as the people of Jerusalem are urged to cry out without ceasing, believers today are encouraged to persist in prayer, especially in times of distress.

The Importance of Genuine Repentance
The tears of the Daughter of Zion symbolize true repentance. Believers are called to examine their hearts and turn back to God with sincerity.

God's Faithfulness in Times of Judgment
Even in judgment, God remains faithful. Understanding His character helps believers trust in His ultimate plan for restoration.

The Role of Community in Lament
The collective cry of the people highlights the importance of community support and shared lament in times of crisis.

Hope Beyond Despair
While Lamentations is a book of sorrow, it also points to the hope of redemption. Believers can find comfort in God's promises of future restoration.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of "tears like a river" challenge us in our personal prayer lives?

2. In what ways can the community of believers support each other in times of collective lament?

3. How does understanding the historical context of Jerusalem's destruction enhance our reading of Lamentations 2:18?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure our repentance is genuine and heartfelt?

5. How can the hope of future restoration, as seen in other scriptures, encourage us during our own times of despair?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 137
This psalm reflects the sorrow and longing of the Israelites during the Babylonian exile, similar to the lament in Lamentations.

Jeremiah 14
Jeremiah's plea for mercy during a time of drought and disaster parallels the cries for help in Lamentations.

Isaiah 62
This passage speaks of the restoration and salvation of Zion, offering hope beyond the lament.

Revelation 21
The promise of a new Jerusalem where God will wipe away every tear, contrasting the current sorrow with future joy.
The Entreaty of AnguishJ.R. Thomson Lamentations 2:18, 19
People
Jacob, Jeremiah
Places
Jerusalem, Zion
Topics
Aloud, Apple, Cause, Cease, Cried, Cry, Daily, Daughter, Drops, Eye, Flow, Flowing, Heart, Nightly, O, Relief, Respite, Rest, River, Run, Sorrow, Stand, Stream, Tears, Thyself, Torrent, Wall, Weeping, Zion
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Lamentations 2:18

     5198   weeping

Library
Watch-Night Service
"Ye virgin souls, arise! With all the dead awake; Unto salvation wise; Oil in your vessels take: Upstarting at the MIDNIGHT CRY, Behold Your heavenly bridegroom nigh." Two brethren then offered prayer for the Church and the World, that the new year might be clothed with glory by the spread of the knowledge of Jesus.--Then followed the EXPOSITION Psalm 90:1-22 "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Yea Jehovah, WE, they children, can say that thou hast been our home, our safe
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 2: 1856

Chel. The Court of the Women.
The Court of the Gentiles compassed the Temple and the courts on every side. The same also did Chel, or the Ante-murale. "That space was ten cubits broad, divided from the Court of the Gentiles by a fence, ten hand-breadths high; in which were thirteen breaches, which the kings of Greece had made: but the Jews had again repaired them, and had appointed thirteen adorations answering to them." Maimonides writes: "Inwards" (from the Court of the Gentiles) "was a fence, that encompassed on every side,
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Appendix ix. List of Old Testament Passages Messianically Applied in Ancient Rabbinic Writings
THE following list contains the passages in the Old Testament applied to the Messiah or to Messianic times in the most ancient Jewish writings. They amount in all to 456, thus distributed: 75 from the Pentateuch, 243 from the Prophets, and 138 from the Hagiorgrapha, and supported by more than 558 separate quotations from Rabbinic writings. Despite all labour care, it can scarcely be hoped that the list is quite complete, although, it is hoped, no important passage has been omitted. The Rabbinic references
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Departure from Ireland. Death and Burial at Clairvaux.
[Sidenote: 1148, May (?)] 67. (30). Being asked once, in what place, if a choice were given him, he would prefer to spend his last day--for on this subject the brothers used to ask one another what place each would select for himself--he hesitated, and made no reply. But when they insisted, he said, "If I take my departure hence[821] I shall do so nowhere more gladly than whence I may rise together with our Apostle"[822]--he referred to St. Patrick; "but if it behoves me to make a pilgrimage, and
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

That the Ruler Should be Discreet in Keeping Silence, Profitable in Speech.
The ruler should be discreet in keeping silence, profitable in speech; lest he either utter what ought to be suppressed or suppress what he ought to utter. For, as incautious speaking leads into error, so indiscreet silence leaves in error those who might have been instructed. For often improvident rulers, fearing to lose human favour, shrink timidly from speaking freely the things that are right; and, according to the voice of the Truth (Joh. x. 12), serve unto the custody of the flock by no means
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Lii. Concerning Hypocrisy, Worldly Anxiety, Watchfulness, and his Approaching Passion.
(Galilee.) ^C Luke XII. 1-59. ^c 1 In the meantime [that is, while these things were occurring in the Pharisee's house], when the many thousands of the multitude were gathered together, insomuch that they trod one upon another [in their eagerness to get near enough to Jesus to see and hear] , he began to say unto his disciples first of all [that is, as the first or most appropriate lesson], Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. [This admonition is the key to the understanding
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Lamentations
The book familiarly known as the Lamentations consists of four elegies[1] (i., ii., iii., iv.) and a prayer (v.). The general theme of the elegies is the sorrow and desolation created by the destruction of Jerusalem[2] in 586 B.C.: the last poem (v.) is a prayer for deliverance from the long continued distress. The elegies are all alphabetic, and like most alphabetic poems (cf. Ps. cxix.) are marked by little continuity of thought. The first poem is a lament over Jerusalem, bereft, by the siege,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Lamentations 2:18 NIV
Lamentations 2:18 NLT
Lamentations 2:18 ESV
Lamentations 2:18 NASB
Lamentations 2:18 KJV

Lamentations 2:18 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Lamentations 2:17
Top of Page
Top of Page