Section outline

  • The Book of Lamentations consists of five elegies that use poetic techniques to express the experience of Jerusalem’s destruction and trauma. It combines two literary forms: city lament, mourning Jerusalem as a ruined city, and lament prayers, which are direct appeals to God. Poetic structures such as acrostic verses and rhythmic patterns create a repetitive and fragmented style that mirrors the emotional turmoil of grief. Lamentations remains a framework for helping people articulate their pain and move toward recovery.