Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and NatureLament is a profound expression of sorrow, grief, or mourning, often articulated in the form of poetry or song. In the biblical context, lament is a significant theme, reflecting the human experience of suffering and the quest for divine intervention and comfort. It is both a personal and communal expression, found throughout the Scriptures, particularly in the Psalms and the prophetic books.
Biblical ExamplesThe Book of Psalms contains numerous laments, both individual and communal. These psalms often follow a pattern: an address to God, a complaint or description of distress, a plea for help, and an expression of trust or praise. For instance,
Psalm 13 begins with a cry of abandonment: "How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?" (
Psalm 13:1). Despite the initial despair, the psalmist concludes with a declaration of trust in God's unfailing love.
The Book of Lamentations is a collection of poetic laments for the destruction of Jerusalem. It vividly portrays the anguish and desolation experienced by the Israelites, yet it also contains profound expressions of hope and faith in God's mercy: "Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!" (
Lamentations 3:22-23).
Prophetic LamentThe prophets often used lament to express the sorrow of God over the sins of His people and the resulting judgment. Jeremiah, known as the "weeping prophet," frequently lamented the spiritual state of Israel and the impending doom due to their disobedience. In
Jeremiah 9:1, he cries, "Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night for the slain of my people" .
Purpose and FunctionLament serves several purposes in the biblical narrative. It is a means of processing grief and suffering, allowing individuals and communities to bring their pain before God. Lament also functions as a form of protest, questioning the apparent absence or silence of God in times of distress. It is an act of faith, demonstrating a belief that God hears and responds to the cries of His people.
Moreover, lament is a call to repentance and a reminder of the consequences of sin. It often leads to a renewed commitment to God and His covenant. In the communal context, lament can foster solidarity and collective hope, as the community seeks God's restoration and healing.
Theological SignificanceLament highlights the reality of suffering in a fallen world and the tension between the present experience of pain and the future hope of redemption. It underscores the biblical truth that God is both transcendent and immanent, sovereign over all yet intimately involved in the lives of His people. Through lament, believers are invited to engage with God honestly, bringing their deepest fears and sorrows to Him while trusting in His ultimate goodness and faithfulness.
New Testament PerspectiveWhile the New Testament does not contain laments in the same form as the Old Testament, the theme persists. Jesus Himself expressed lament, most notably in His cry from the cross: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (
Matthew 27:46), echoing
Psalm 22. This moment encapsulates the depth of human suffering and the mystery of divine abandonment, yet it also points to the hope of resurrection and redemption.
The apostle Paul acknowledges the groaning of creation and believers as they await the fulfillment of God's promises (
Romans 8:22-23). The New Testament encourages believers to bear one another's burdens (
Galatians 6:2) and to find comfort in the God of all comfort, who consoles us in all our afflictions (
2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. i.) To express or feel sorrow; to weep or wail; to mourn.
2. (v. t.) To mourn for; to bemoan; to bewail.
3. (v.) Grief or sorrow expressed in complaints or cries; lamentation; a wailing; a moaning; a weeping.
4. (n.) An elegy or mournful ballad, or the like.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
LAMENTla-ment'.
SeeMUSIC.
Greek
2354. threneo -- tolament... to
lament. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: threneo Phonetic Spelling:
(thray-neh'-o) Short Definition: I wail,
lament Definition: intrans: I
lament, wail
...3996. pentheo -- to mourn,lament
... to mourn,lament. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: pentheo Phonetic Spelling:
(pen-theh'-o) Short Definition: I mourn,lament Definition: I mourn,lament...
2875. kopto -- to cut (off), strike, by ext. to mourn
... Short Definition: I cut off, mourn Definition: (a) I cut, cut off, strike, smite,
(b) mid: I beat my breast or head in lamentation,lament, mourn, sometimes...
3649. ololuzo -- to cry aloud
... to cry aloud. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ololuzo Phonetic Spelling:
(ol-ol-odd'-zo) Short Definition: I howl,lament loudly Definition: I howl...
3602. odurmos -- lamentation
... the head, etc.). Word Origin from oduromai (tolament) Definition lamentation
NASB Word Usage mourning (2). mourning. From a derivative...
2799. klaio -- to weep
... Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: klaio Phonetic Spelling: (klah'-yo) Short
Definition: I weep, weep for, mourn Definition: I weep, weep for, mourn,lament...
4959. sustenazo -- to groan together
... Word Origin from sun and stenazo Definition to groan together NASB Word
Usage groans (1), together* (1).lament, groan together....
Strong's Hebrew
5594. saphad -- to wail,lament... 5593, 5594. saphad. 5595 . to wail,
lament. Transliteration: saphad Phonetic
Spelling: (saw-fad') Short Definition:
lament. Word Origin a prim.
...5091. nahah -- to wail,lament
... 5090b, 5091. nahah. 5092 . to wail,lament. Transliteration: nahah Phonetic
Spelling: (naw-haw') Short Definition: lamented. Word Origin a prim....lament, wail...
593. Aniam -- "lament of people," an Israelite name
... 592, 593. Aniam. 594 . "lament of people," an Israelite name. Transliteration:
Aniam Phonetic Spelling: (an-ee-awm') Short Definition: Aniam....
5090b. nahag -- to moan,lament
... nahag. 5091 . to moan,lament. Transliteration: nahag Short Definition: moaning.
Word Origin a prim. root Definition to moan,lament NASB Word Usage moaning (...
578. anah -- to mourn
... to mourn. Transliteration: anah Phonetic Spelling: (aw-naw') Short Definition:lament.
Word Origin a prim. root Definition to mourn NASB Word Usagelament (2)....
6969. qonen -- to chant an elegy or dirge
... Word Origin denominative verb from qinah Definition to chant an elegy or dirge NASB
Word Usage chant (3), chanted (2), chanted alament (1),lament (1...
56. abal -- to mourn
... root Definition to mourn NASB Word Usage caused lamentations (1), grieve (1), grieved
(1),lament (1), mourn (13), mourned (7), mourning (3), mourns (10...
8567. tanah -- perhaps recount, rehearse
... commemorate. Word Origin a prim. root Definition perhaps recount, rehearse NASB
Word Usage commemorate (1), recount (1).lament, rehearse. A...
421. alah -- to wail
...lament. A primitive root (rather identical with 'alah through the idea of invocation);
to bewail --lament. see HEBREW 'alah. 420, 421. alah. 422 ....
5089. noah -- eminency, distinction
... eminent (1). wailing. From an unused root meaning tolament; lamentation --
wailing. 5088, 5089. noah. 5090 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
ALament
... ALAMENT. The merry merry lark was up and singing, And the hare was out and
feeding on the lea; And the merry merry bells below were...
To Olympias. Why do YouLament? Why do You Belabour Yourself...
... to olympias. Why do youlament? why do you belabour yourself? Why do
youlament? why do you belabour yourself, and demand...
David'sLament
... LYRICS V DAVID'SLAMENT. Thy glory, O Israel, Is slain upon thy high places!
How are the mighty" Fallen! Tell it not in Gath, Publish...
Lament. 3:37-40
... TRANSLATIONS AND PARAPHRASES IN VERSE OF SEVERAL PASSAGES OF SACRED SCRIPTURE
29Lament. 3:37-40. 8,6,8,6. Amidst the mighty, where is he....
Lord ILament and Abhor Myself that I have Been the Occasion of...
... THE FIRST CENTURY 78 Lord Ilament and abhor myself that I have been the
occasion of these Thy sufferings. Lord Ilament and abhor...
Christ'sLament Over Our Faithlessness
... CHRIST'SLAMENT OVER OUR FAITHLESSNESS. 'He answereth him and saith, O
faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long...
How they are to be Admonished whoLament Sins of Deed, and those...
... ROME, Chapter XXIX. How they are to be admonished wholament sins of deed,
and those wholament only sins of thought. (Admonition 30...
You Chose a Bad Introducer. If You Will Take My Counsel, Both You...
... counsel, both you and I will by preference turn to him who introduces us to the
Father and who said No man cometh unto the Father but by me.' Ilament for you...
Hebrews xiii. 17
... Seest thou that the despised ruler ought not to avenge himself, but his great
revenge is to weep andlament? For neither is it possible...
How those are to be Admonished who Abstain not from the Sins which...
... (Admonition 31.) Differently to be admonished are those wholament their transgressions,
and yet forsake them not, and those who forsake them, and yetlament...
Thesaurus
Lament (44 Occurrences)... like. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
LAMENT. la-ment'. See MUSIC.
Multi-Version Concordance
Lament (44 Occurrences). Matthew
...Lamentation (45 Occurrences)
... (Hebrews qinah), an elegy or dirge. The first example of this form of poetry is
thelament of David over Saul and Jonathan (2 Samuel 1:17-27)....
Lamented (19 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (imp. & pp) ofLament. 2. (a.) Mourned for; bewailed.
Multi-Version Concordance Lamented (19 Occurrences)....
Weep (97 Occurrences)
... cry. 4. (vi) Tolament; to complain. 5. (vi) To flow in drops; to run in
drops. 6... branches. 8. (vt) Tolament; to bewail; to bemoan. 9...
Bewail (9 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To express deep sorrow for, as by wailing; to
lament; to wail over. 2. (vi) To express grief; tolament. Int....
Chanted (4 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 32:16 This is the lamentation with which they shalllament; the daughters
of the nations shalllament therewith; over Egypt, and over all her multitude...
Chant (2 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 32:16 This is the lamentation with which they shalllament; the daughters
of the nations shalllament therewith; over Egypt, and over all her multitude...
Sigh (18 Occurrences)
... 2. (vi) Hence, tolament; to grieve. 3. (vi) To make a sound like sighing....
5. (vt) To utter sighs over; tolament or mourn over....
Wail (50 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To choose; to select. 2. (vt) Tolament; to bewail; to grieve over; as,
to wail one's death.... Wail (50 Occurrences). James 4:9Lament, mourn, and weep....
Hordes (24 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 32:16 This is the lamentation with which they shalllament; the daughters
of the nations shalllament therewith; over Egypt, and over all her multitude...
Resources
What are the psalms of lament? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a lament in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhy do many of the psalms of David sound so sad? | GotQuestions.orgLament: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
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