The book of lamentations
Chapter 2
¹ How the Lord in his anger has humiliated daughter Zion! He has thrown down from heaven to earth the splendor of Israel; he has not remembered his footstool in the day of his anger.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 1)
Oh God You are humiliating me too much, my wife calls me crazy, a client decided not to want me any more as his social worker, my marriage is in a crisis, my nine year old daughter does not want to speak to me any more. They are driving me crazy. I do not know what I did to You my God and Father in order to deserve being treated in this way. I am totally aware of my faults and my sins, but this is too much to bear! My cross is becoming more than heavy. If you abandon me my hope and reason for living is completely lost. I hope that You are still hearing me because I feel all alone.
² The Lord has destroyed without mercy all the dwellings of Jacob; in his wrath he has broken down the strongholds of daughter Judah; he has brought down to the ground in dishonor the kingdom and its rulers.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 2)
Oh God my beloved Father, You have the power to empower us and show us care, but You also have the power to humble us and remove our securities. I pray that during this turbulent time of my life as You are aware, You keep my mother in good health, for right now You are using her as a tower of support Amen. Thank You God my Father Amen.
³ He has cut down in fierce anger all the might of Israel; he has withdrawn his right hand from them in the face of the enemy; he has burned like a flaming fire in Jacob consuming all around.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 3)
Oh God it seems that You make use of our personality in order to pass on Your messages to us. In a moment of anger You used Jacob to perform what You had planned for Your people. I pray that I have my heart and mind tuned to You so that You could use me in different ways and situations.
⁴ He has bent his bow like an enemy, with his right hand set like a foe he has killed all in whom we took pride in the tent of daughter Zion; he has poured out his fury like fire.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 4)
Oh God my Father You love me so much that one by one You heal me of my sins, which I can also call enemies because they hold me away from You. I thank You for fighting my enemies Amen.
⁵ The Lord has become like an enemy; he has destroyed Israel. He has destroyed all its palaces, laid in ruins its strongholds, and multiplied in daughter Judah mourning and lamentation.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 5)
Oh God my beloved Father when we trust in You, become a tower of refuge love and support, however, when we willfully chose to go against You I cannot expect the same protection, even though Your love for me during this period of woe and darkness remains the same. Many times it is I who think that You are against me, or that You have abandoned me but in truth, it is I who have sinned and not You my, God and Father.
⁶ He has broken down his booth like a garden, he has destroyed his tabernacle; the LORD has abolished in Zion festival and sabbath, and in his fierce indignation has spurned king and priest.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 6)
Oh God, my blessed Father, even though I feel far away from You right now, I pray that You do not terminate Your relationship with me Amen. If and when I have wronged You, I pray for forgiveness but please do not stop Your relationship with me. God have mercy!
⁷ The Lord has scorned his altar, disowned his sanctuary; he has delivered into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; a clamor was raised in the house of the LORD as on a day of festival.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 7)
Oh brothers and sisters, may it never be that we go against the ways of God our Father, to the point of stirring up his anger. Even though our God is a God of love, we cannot abuse of His love Amen.
⁸ The LORD determined to lay in ruins the wall of daughter Zion; he stretched the line: he did not withhold his hand from destroying; he caused rampart and wall to lament; they languish together.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 8)
Oh God my beloved Father, Yours is the power to flourish in abundance and Yours is the power to destruct, we are Your Church and You have power over it. Amen. Lord have mercy for we are sinners. Amen.
⁹ Her gates have sunk into the ground; he has ruined and broken her bars; her king and princes are among the nations; guidance is no more, and her prophets obtain no vision from the LORD.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 9)
Oh Jerusalem how lonely it is to thrive without Your King, how much more lonely it is for us to live without our God. How easier it is for us, when we have You my God and Father as our primary means of support Amen. Thank You Jesus Amen.
¹⁰ The elders of daughter Zion sit on the ground in silence; they have thrown dust on their heads and put on sackcloth; the young girls of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 10)
Oh God my blessed Father, how humble it is of us when we admit that we are sinners and get of our thrones and admit that we are in need of You and the salvation that only You can give, that peace that the world dreams of but cannot give Amen.
¹¹ My eyes are spent with weeping; my stomach churns; my bile is poured out on the ground because of the destruction of my people, because infants and babes faint in the streets of the city.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 11)
Oh God my beloved Father, likewise I also worry about the decisions that are being taken in the Roman Catholic Church especially in Malta and its political involvement that is creating so many ripples that is discouraging people, who are already skeptic in their faith and others who are persuaded by the crowd into not believing and into not attending Mass anymore. I pray that You enforce the power of the Holy Spirit and enlighten such responsible people about the consequences of their actions Amen.
¹² They cry to their mothers, "Where is bread and wine?" as they faint like the wounded in the streets of the city as their life is poured out on their mother's bosom.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 12)
Oh God my Father, today our children turn on us and ask the fatal question, "Where is the food and drink that truly satisfies our soul because the world is offering us food that satisfies the carnal pleasure, but our souls are left undernourished and our souls are craving for the spiritual even if we do not admit this. It is only You my God and father who can satisfy our cravings Amen.
¹³ What can I say for you, to what compare you, O daughter Jerusalem? To what can I liken you, that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter Zion? For vast as the sea is your ruin who can heal you?
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 13)
Oh God my Father, all healing comes from You, You are the living water flowing from the throne of God the Father, there is none like You Amen. You are my refuge and consolation before You I come and shed my tears my God and Father Amen.
¹⁴ Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen oracles for you that are false and misleading.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 14)
Oh God my Father, the media and at times even the Church project false realities of You that I end up getting mixed up. There were moments when the Roman Catholic Church in Malta intervened on the issue of money laundry which was not in its remit to do so and in other issues it remained totally silent. I pray that You continue to show us a true image of Your self Amen.
¹⁵ All who pass along the way clap their hands at you; they hiss and wag their heads at daughter Jerusalem; "Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?"
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 15)
When looking at me my God and Father, people may wonder and say, is this person the same one who was called by God to follow him and who was married and had a ten year old daughter. Look at his situation, he is now separated and does not even have access to his daughter. He is considered a threat to his daughter, considered and reckoned as an abuser or with the potential of an abuser. However my God and Father, I still place all my hope and trust in You, who when the time is right will deliver me out of this situation Amen.
¹⁶ All your enemies open their mouths against you; they hiss, they gnash their teeth, they cry: "We have devoured her! Ah, this is the day we longed for, at last we have seen it!"
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 16)
Oh God my Father some may look at my situation and jeer at me. He who used to talk about separated people having partners, is now separated himself. Let him see if he will keep on believing now that he is in the same situation himself! I pray oh God that You protect me from such people and You give me the grace to go against my nature and still love such people Amen.
¹⁷ The LORD has done what he purposed, he has carried out his threat; as he ordained long ago, he has demolished without pity, he has made the enemy rejoice over you, and exalted the might of your foes. ¹⁸ Cry aloud to the Lord! O wall of daughter Zion! Let tears stream down like a torrent day and night! Give yourself no rest, your eyes no respite!
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verses 17 to 18)
Oh Brothers and Sisters, shame be on us! We need only to look at the world around us in order to realize the state that our world is in. Even though we have in sciences and technology, socially and spiritually and even psychologically our world is a mess. Mental health and crime are on the increase. The soul of this world is sick, it needs healing that can only come from You my God and Father Amen.
¹⁹ Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children who faint for hunger at the head of every street.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 19)
Oh Mothers and Fathers, Aunts and Uncles, lift up your hands to the Lord our God, for during these times there are many temptations for both young and old. It can come in many different forms both online and even offline. Let us open our hearts to You my God and Father and beg for Your love and mercy Amen, for although our bellies are well fed, our souls are malnourished Amen.
²⁰ Look, O LORD, and consider! To whom have you done this? Should women eat their offspring, the children they have borne? Should priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 20)
Oh God my Father, we have become such a pain in the You know where... We are always ordering You to consider this and to do this and not to do that. I wonder how You put up with us and our demands!
I thank You for being so loving understanding and considerate my God and Father Amen, Thank You Jesus.
²¹ The young and the old are lying on the ground in the streets; my young women and my young men have fallen by the sword; in the day of your anger you have killed them slaughtering without mercy.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 20)
Oh God, my Father, even today your sons and daughters are being forced to flee from their homeland risking their lives on a dangerous journey that could even cost them their lives. Many of whom are not saved in line end up dying in a dishonoured way at sea. I pray for mercy oh God my Father for these are also your children Amen.
Oh God You are humiliating me too much, my wife calls me crazy, a client decided not to want me any more as his social worker, my marriage is in a crisis, my nine year old daughter does not want to speak to me any more. They are driving me crazy. I do not know what I did to You my God and Father in order to deserve being treated in this way. I am totally aware of my faults and my sins, but this is too much to bear! My cross is becoming more than heavy. If you abandon me my hope and reason for living is completely lost. I hope that You are still hearing me because I feel all alone.
² The Lord has destroyed without mercy all the dwellings of Jacob; in his wrath he has broken down the strongholds of daughter Judah; he has brought down to the ground in dishonor the kingdom and its rulers.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 2)
Oh God my beloved Father, You have the power to empower us and show us care, but You also have the power to humble us and remove our securities. I pray that during this turbulent time of my life as You are aware, You keep my mother in good health, for right now You are using her as a tower of support Amen. Thank You God my Father Amen.
³ He has cut down in fierce anger all the might of Israel; he has withdrawn his right hand from them in the face of the enemy; he has burned like a flaming fire in Jacob consuming all around.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 3)
Oh God it seems that You make use of our personality in order to pass on Your messages to us. In a moment of anger You used Jacob to perform what You had planned for Your people. I pray that I have my heart and mind tuned to You so that You could use me in different ways and situations.
⁴ He has bent his bow like an enemy, with his right hand set like a foe he has killed all in whom we took pride in the tent of daughter Zion; he has poured out his fury like fire.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 4)
Oh God my Father You love me so much that one by one You heal me of my sins, which I can also call enemies because they hold me away from You. I thank You for fighting my enemies Amen.
⁵ The Lord has become like an enemy; he has destroyed Israel. He has destroyed all its palaces, laid in ruins its strongholds, and multiplied in daughter Judah mourning and lamentation.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 5)
Oh God my beloved Father when we trust in You, become a tower of refuge love and support, however, when we willfully chose to go against You I cannot expect the same protection, even though Your love for me during this period of woe and darkness remains the same. Many times it is I who think that You are against me, or that You have abandoned me but in truth, it is I who have sinned and not You my, God and Father.
⁶ He has broken down his booth like a garden, he has destroyed his tabernacle; the LORD has abolished in Zion festival and sabbath, and in his fierce indignation has spurned king and priest.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 6)
Oh God, my blessed Father, even though I feel far away from You right now, I pray that You do not terminate Your relationship with me Amen. If and when I have wronged You, I pray for forgiveness but please do not stop Your relationship with me. God have mercy!
⁷ The Lord has scorned his altar, disowned his sanctuary; he has delivered into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; a clamor was raised in the house of the LORD as on a day of festival.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 7)
Oh brothers and sisters, may it never be that we go against the ways of God our Father, to the point of stirring up his anger. Even though our God is a God of love, we cannot abuse of His love Amen.
⁸ The LORD determined to lay in ruins the wall of daughter Zion; he stretched the line: he did not withhold his hand from destroying; he caused rampart and wall to lament; they languish together.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 8)
Oh God my beloved Father, Yours is the power to flourish in abundance and Yours is the power to destruct, we are Your Church and You have power over it. Amen. Lord have mercy for we are sinners. Amen.
⁹ Her gates have sunk into the ground; he has ruined and broken her bars; her king and princes are among the nations; guidance is no more, and her prophets obtain no vision from the LORD.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 9)
Oh Jerusalem how lonely it is to thrive without Your King, how much more lonely it is for us to live without our God. How easier it is for us, when we have You my God and Father as our primary means of support Amen. Thank You Jesus Amen.
¹⁰ The elders of daughter Zion sit on the ground in silence; they have thrown dust on their heads and put on sackcloth; the young girls of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 10)
Oh God my blessed Father, how humble it is of us when we admit that we are sinners and get of our thrones and admit that we are in need of You and the salvation that only You can give, that peace that the world dreams of but cannot give Amen.
¹¹ My eyes are spent with weeping; my stomach churns; my bile is poured out on the ground because of the destruction of my people, because infants and babes faint in the streets of the city.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 11)
Oh God my beloved Father, likewise I also worry about the decisions that are being taken in the Roman Catholic Church especially in Malta and its political involvement that is creating so many ripples that is discouraging people, who are already skeptic in their faith and others who are persuaded by the crowd into not believing and into not attending Mass anymore. I pray that You enforce the power of the Holy Spirit and enlighten such responsible people about the consequences of their actions Amen.
¹² They cry to their mothers, "Where is bread and wine?" as they faint like the wounded in the streets of the city as their life is poured out on their mother's bosom.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 12)
Oh God my Father, today our children turn on us and ask the fatal question, "Where is the food and drink that truly satisfies our soul because the world is offering us food that satisfies the carnal pleasure, but our souls are left undernourished and our souls are craving for the spiritual even if we do not admit this. It is only You my God and father who can satisfy our cravings Amen.
¹³ What can I say for you, to what compare you, O daughter Jerusalem? To what can I liken you, that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter Zion? For vast as the sea is your ruin who can heal you?
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 13)
Oh God my Father, all healing comes from You, You are the living water flowing from the throne of God the Father, there is none like You Amen. You are my refuge and consolation before You I come and shed my tears my God and Father Amen.
¹⁴ Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen oracles for you that are false and misleading.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 14)
Oh God my Father, the media and at times even the Church project false realities of You that I end up getting mixed up. There were moments when the Roman Catholic Church in Malta intervened on the issue of money laundry which was not in its remit to do so and in other issues it remained totally silent. I pray that You continue to show us a true image of Your self Amen.
¹⁵ All who pass along the way clap their hands at you; they hiss and wag their heads at daughter Jerusalem; "Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?"
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 15)
When looking at me my God and Father, people may wonder and say, is this person the same one who was called by God to follow him and who was married and had a ten year old daughter. Look at his situation, he is now separated and does not even have access to his daughter. He is considered a threat to his daughter, considered and reckoned as an abuser or with the potential of an abuser. However my God and Father, I still place all my hope and trust in You, who when the time is right will deliver me out of this situation Amen.
¹⁶ All your enemies open their mouths against you; they hiss, they gnash their teeth, they cry: "We have devoured her! Ah, this is the day we longed for, at last we have seen it!"
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 16)
Oh God my Father some may look at my situation and jeer at me. He who used to talk about separated people having partners, is now separated himself. Let him see if he will keep on believing now that he is in the same situation himself! I pray oh God that You protect me from such people and You give me the grace to go against my nature and still love such people Amen.
¹⁷ The LORD has done what he purposed, he has carried out his threat; as he ordained long ago, he has demolished without pity, he has made the enemy rejoice over you, and exalted the might of your foes. ¹⁸ Cry aloud to the Lord! O wall of daughter Zion! Let tears stream down like a torrent day and night! Give yourself no rest, your eyes no respite!
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verses 17 to 18)
Oh Brothers and Sisters, shame be on us! We need only to look at the world around us in order to realize the state that our world is in. Even though we have in sciences and technology, socially and spiritually and even psychologically our world is a mess. Mental health and crime are on the increase. The soul of this world is sick, it needs healing that can only come from You my God and Father Amen.
¹⁹ Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children who faint for hunger at the head of every street.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 19)
Oh Mothers and Fathers, Aunts and Uncles, lift up your hands to the Lord our God, for during these times there are many temptations for both young and old. It can come in many different forms both online and even offline. Let us open our hearts to You my God and Father and beg for Your love and mercy Amen, for although our bellies are well fed, our souls are malnourished Amen.
²⁰ Look, O LORD, and consider! To whom have you done this? Should women eat their offspring, the children they have borne? Should priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 20)
Oh God my Father, we have become such a pain in the You know where... We are always ordering You to consider this and to do this and not to do that. I wonder how You put up with us and our demands!
I thank You for being so loving understanding and considerate my God and Father Amen, Thank You Jesus.
²¹ The young and the old are lying on the ground in the streets; my young women and my young men have fallen by the sword; in the day of your anger you have killed them slaughtering without mercy.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 20)
Oh God, my Father, even today your sons and daughters are being forced to flee from their homeland risking their lives on a dangerous journey that could even cost them their lives. Many of whom are not saved in line end up dying in a dishonoured way at sea. I pray for mercy oh God my Father for these are also your children Amen.
²² You invited my enemies from all around as if for a day of festival; and on the day of the anger of the LORD no one escaped or survived; those whom i bore and reared my enemy has destroyed.
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 22)
Oh God my beloved Father we tend to blame You for anything that goes wrong, instead of giving thanks that the situation was not even worse than it actually was. I thank You for even those moments that at first glance do not appear to be positive however when praying on them they end up being graces in what appears to be a tragedy Amen
(Book of Lamentations Chapter 2 verse 22)
Oh God my beloved Father we tend to blame You for anything that goes wrong, instead of giving thanks that the situation was not even worse than it actually was. I thank You for even those moments that at first glance do not appear to be positive however when praying on them they end up being graces in what appears to be a tragedy Amen
Oh God my beloved Father, I would like to end this meditation on this second chapter of the book of Lamentations with the following prayer:
Oh God my beloved Father unlike the world and its sinful ways You are not against us but for us. We are Your number one priority and we are like a small bird under it's mother's wings. You love and care for us more than we can ever love and care for ourselves. Amen. Thank You Jesus.
