The Daleth (Door) Revelation

Lam. 3:10-12 says,

¹⁰ [ד] He is to me like a bear lying in wait, like a lion in secret places. ¹¹ [ד] He has turned aside my ways and torn me to pieces; He has made me desolate. ¹² [ד] He has bent His bow and set me as a target for the arrow.

Each verse here begins with daleth, a door or entryway, symbolizing access, passage, humility, or a way in/out. Here it emphasizes the frustrated pathways of life — doors that close, ways that collapse, movement redirected into calamity. All three start with daleth, and the vocabulary clusters around ambush, paths, and bending, showing how the “door/way” (daleth) is distorted into danger and destruction.

The first word in verse 10 is דֹּבֵב, (dobev, “lurking, lying in wait”). The prophet speaks for Jerusalem, rather than for himself personally. God is the One who was “lying in wait” hiding just outside the door like a bear or a lion ready to maul the city. The root word means “to lurk, ambush.”

Verse 11 begins with דְּרָכַי (derākhay, “my ways”). Here it means God deliberately diverts Jerusalem from her way — taking her off the safe road and into danger, so that the bear or lion can tear the city into pieces. The emphasis is not on the bear or lion but on God who has done this to bring judgment upon the city.

Even as God leads us in the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3), so also, by His sovereignty, He can lead persistent sinners into the path of danger. Because Jerusalem strayed from the righteous path, God judged the city accordingly by leading the city into the present disaster.

Verse 12 begins with דָּרַךְ (dārak, “He bent [his bow].” God then set up Jerusalem as His target. The Hebrew word for sin is khawtaw, “to miss the mark.” It implies that the arrow falls short of the target. Hence, Paul says in Rom. 3:23 that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But God never fails to hit the target or goal that He has set. In this case Jerusalem was His target, and He did not fail.

The Hey (Window) Revelation

Lam. 3:13-15 says,

¹³ [הָ] He made the arrows of His quiver to enter into my inward parts [kilyōtay, “kidneys” as the seat of one’s conscience and divine guidance]. ¹⁴ [הָ] I have become a laughing-stock to all my people, their mocking song all the day. ¹⁵ [הָ] He has filled me with bitterness, He has made me drunk with wormwood.

Hey (ה) often symbolizes breath, revelation, expression (in ancient Hebrew it looked like a man with arms lifted, an exhaled breath). In this section, what comes out is not praise but mocking songs and bitter lament. The “breath” is poisoned with wormwood.

The first word of verse 13 is הִבִּיא (hibbîʾ, “He caused to come, He brought in”). In this case, God successfully pierced “my inward parts” with His arrows, as if he was pierced through his “window” (target). The kidneys have to do with guidance, even as the heart (circumcision) has to do with righteousness. Jer. 11:20 tells us that God tries both the reins and the heart. This shows that the two are different.

“Kidneys” is usually translated “reins” in the KJV. It is the renal system. The principal tube that comes out of each kidney is the ureter, which carries urine to the bladder. These tubes resemble reins that guide a horse.

Psalm 16:7 KJV says,

⁷ I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel; my reins [kidneys] also instruct me in the night seasons.

This, of course, is a negative application of God’s arrows, applied as divine judgment for refusing the positive application of the metaphor. God’s arrows are also His sons. Psalm 127:3-5:

³ Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. ⁴ Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. ⁵ How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Lightning is God’s arrow as well. Psalm 18:14 says,

¹⁴ He sent out His arrows and scattered them, and lightning flashes in abundance and routed them.

Again, we read in Psalm 144:6,

⁶ Flash forth lightning and scatter them; send out Your arrows and confuse them.

Hence, just as physical arrows are one’s children, so also are God’s arrows (lightning) the sons of God. Just as men use their children to defend the city, so also does God use His children to defend the city—when the city is righteous in its covenant relationship with God. However, when the city is unrighteous, God brings judgment, first by calling His children (in this case the prophets) to warn of coming judgment and even to decree judgment, and secondly by raising up other nations to execute that judgment.

Hence, arrows are applied differently, depending on the situation. The word picture in verse 13 refers to God’s appeal that the people should seek divine guidance and to hear His instruction. When they fail to heed His word, and when the people’s conscience is seared and unresponsive, the arrows become divine judgment.

Lam. 3:14 begins with the word הָיִיתִי (hāyîtî, “to be, become”). In this case, Jerusalem becomes a laughingstock among the nations. Songs were written to mock the city in all the taverns and market places.

Lam. 3:15 begins with the word הִשְׂבִּיעַנִי (hisbîʿanî, “He has filled me”). The disaster upon Jerusalem was bad enough, but the mockery filled the city with bitterness. The prophet says also that “He has made me drunk with wormwood.”

The word translated “wormwood” is lahanah, usually associated with “gall” (rosh). So Jer. 9:15 KJV says,

¹⁵ … Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood and give them water [juice] of gall to drink.

The Hebrew word translated “gall” is roshe, which means a head, and in this application it refers to the large bulb (or head) of the poppy plant. Strong’s Concordance #7219 says, “a poisonous plant, probably the poppy (from its conspicuous head).”

Wormwood is the equivalent of “water of gall,” which is its juice containing opium. Its bitter taste was matched by the bitterness of addiction.

Deut. 29:18 KJV also says, “lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood.” Later, in verse 23 we see that Moses was referring to Sodom and Gomorrah which grew poppies and had a lively drug trade.

Opium deadens pain but cures nothing. It became a metaphor for man’s carnal attempt to cure guilt caused by sin. Thus, Jeremiah contrasted opium with “balm in Gilead” (Jer. 8:22), an essential oil from the balsam tree known for its healing power. Balm of Gilead symbolizes true healing.

This was why Jesus refused to drink “gall” when He was on the cross (Matt. 27:34). The soldiers offered it to him as a merciful gesture, but Jesus was determined to bear the sin of the world without any opium to mask the consequences of sin.

Whether or not the people of Jerusalem were hooked on opium is unknown. But from a spiritual standpoint, they were afflicted with heart bitterness and addiction to man-made solutions to their sin. Jeremiah understood this, as we see from his statement in Jer. 9:15. In Jer. 8:11 the prophet alludes to opium again, saying,

¹¹ They heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially, saying, “Peace, Peace,” but there is no peace.

“Peace” is from shalom, a word that means “to be complete, whole, sound.” When applied to health, it means being free of disease and pain. Opium gives the illusion of shalom, but in fact, “there is no peace.”

So the earthly Jerusalem was shown to be addicted to spiritual opium, and this correlated to the New Testament concept of the “sorcery” (pharmakeia) of the great harlot of Mystery Babylon (Rev. 18:23).

The Vav (Nail or Peg) Revelation

Lam. 3:16-18 says,

¹⁶ [ו] He has broken my teeth with gravel; He has made me cower in the dust. ¹⁷ [ו] My soul has been rejected from peace; I have forgotten happiness. ¹⁸ [ו] So I say, “My strength has perished, and so has my hope from the Lord.”

In the Hebrew text, verse 16 begins with וַיִּגְרֹס (vayyigrōs, “and He ground/crushed”).

The vav is a nail or peg that normally makes something secure. Vav is also the conjunction “and” in the sense of connecting two sentences. However, here it is all about insecurity. Biting down on a stone while eating can not only be painful, it can also crack a tooth. If this happens, a man eats carefully, because he lacks confidence in the integrity of the food.

Lam. 3:17 begins with וַתִּזְנַח (vattiznaḥ, from the root word that means “to reject, spurn, exclude”). The vav is a connector, but in this case it disconnects or rejects. Hence, “my soul has been rejected from shalom,” leaving a condition of disease or a lack of wholeness.

Lam. 3:18 begins with וָאֹמַר (vāʾōmar, “and I said”). Strength (nitzḥî, “strength, endurance, permanence”) is gone. The speaker feels utterly spent, and even hope has been separated from me.

Structurally, this is the dark valley of the poem — immediately before the famous turning point in verse 21: “This I recall to mind, and therefore I have hope.” The descent into hopelessness makes the sudden re-emergence of hope all the more dramatic.

The Zayin (Weapon) Revelation

Lam. 3:19-21 says,

¹⁹ [ר] Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and the bitterness. ²⁰ [ר] Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. ²¹ [ר] This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.

The first word of verse 19 is זְכֹר (zekhōr, “remember”).Recall that Zechariah means “God remembers.”

Remembrance is a powerful weapon in discouraging times. So Mal. 3:16 tells us,

¹⁶ Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance [zikkārôn] was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem his name.

These believers were not talking idly about the weather. They were reminding themselves of the way in which God had delivered their forefathers in the past. No doubt some of them also had personal experiences of deliverance to share with the others.

Psalm 77:11 says,

¹¹ I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old.

The zayin in its ancient form resembled a sword. It also connects to sustenance (from the Hebrew word mazon, “food”). Just as food strengthens us, so also do we gain strength by sharing the meat of the word.

2 Peter 1:12-14 echoes this, saying,

¹² Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them and have been established in the truth which is present with you. ¹³ I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, ¹⁴ knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made it clear to me.

Lam. 3:20 begins with the word zakhōr, “surely remembering.” Here it is the soul that needs to remember. The soul is fleshly, and when difficulties arise, it has difficulty remembering what God has already done throughout history. That is why the soul “is bowed down within me.” It is weighed down by present afflictions and is in need of encouragement.

This is the darkest moment in Jeremiah’s Lamentations. In the midst of affliction and discouragement, the prophet (and those who truly believe) find hope by remembering how God has delivered us—not only in biblical history but also in our own personal experiences.

Lam. 3:21 begins with the word זֹאת (zōʾt, “This”). It refers to the pivot point: recalling God’s mercies, where hope is reborn.

The Chet (Fence, Inner Room, Heart) Revelation

Lam. 3:22-24 says,

²² (ח) The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. ²³ (ח) They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness [ʾĕmûnāh]. ²⁴ (ח) “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul. “Therefore I have hope in Him.”

Songs have been inspired by these verses. There is an old hymn called Great is Thy Faithfulness, as well as a newer song, “Your Steadfast Love.” These still inspire those who have experienced affliction and difficulty.

The first word in verse 22 is חַסְדֵי (ḥasdê, “the steadfast loves”). God’s unfailing love is underestimated by those who do not understand the restoration of all things, which is God’s unfailing plan for creation. This does not negate divine judgment, but it guarantees that judgment will have a positive outcome in the end. Though few comprehend the scope of salvation and love in God’s plan, many have experienced His love on a personal level.

The first word in verse 23 is חֲדָשִׁים (ḥădāshîm, “They are new”). The believer’s hope is renewed daily by a vibrant and personal relationship with God.

The word “faithfulness” is from the word ʾĕmûnāh, “steadfastness, fidelity, reliability, trustworthiness.” He can be trusted to keep covenant love (ḥesed) despite judgment, because the judgments of God are limited in nature. The law tells us that for misdemeanors, judgment is limited to 40 lashes and no more. For felonies, judgment is limited by the law of Jubilee, when all remaining debt is cancelled.

Related words are amen, “truly,” and emet, “truth.”

In Lam. 3:24 the prophet gives voice to the thoughts in his soul. “The Lord is my portion,” he says. The first word in the verse is חֶלְקִי (ḥelqî, “my portion”). It means a share, inheritance, assigned portion, as in Num. 18:20: “You shall have no inheritance in their land… I am your portion and your inheritance.”

Under the Old Covenant, the priests had no tribal inheritance in the land. Their “portion” was actually greater, because God Himself was their portion and inheritance. Jeremiah, being a priest in Jerusalem (Jer. 1:1), understood this concept by personal experience. In fact, because of his New Covenant revelation (Jer. 31:31), we can say that he had a New Covenant understanding of what this meant.

While most believers will have a land inheritance in the Kingdom, the overcomers—who are of the Melchizedek order of priests—will inherit a glorified body, filled with the presence of God through the feast of Tabernacles.

The Teth (Snake) Revelation

Lam. 3:25-27 says,

²⁵ [ט] The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. ²⁶ [ט] It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the Lord. ²⁷ [ט] It is good for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth.

The first word in all three verses above is טוֹב (tov, “good”). Tov begins with the letter teth, a snake, or to surround. In this case it suggests experiencing the goodness of God even while being surrounded by the “snake” of adversity.

In the early paleo-Hebrew way of writing letters, the teth was written as a cross within a circle.

The cross by itself was the original way that the letter tav was written. The tav was the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and it was the word for “mark, sign.” It was, in effect, the sign of the cross. In Ezekiel 9:4, the “mark” (tav) of God was put on the foreheads of the true believers as a sign of God’s ownership and protection.

The letter teth pictures Christ on the cross, surrounded by the snake (devil), yet victorious in resurrection. It also pictures those who have the mark of God in their foreheads (Rev. 22:4). It is God’s signature, His mark of ownership. Though surrounded by the adversary, these are protected by the goodness of God.

Some rabbinic commentators connected this letter with the serpent encircling, since nachash (serpent) is seen as both destructive and part of God’s plan for revealing good. Encirclement/serpent is thus a hidden good concealed within apparent evil.

Jeremiah himself is suggesting that there is a hidden good concealed within divine judgment. Specifically, divine protection is provided to the righteous ones in Jerusalem during its time of judgment—Daniel and his three friends, for example.

In verse 25 God’s goodness is revealed to those who practice patience and seek Him earnestly. In verse 26 the emphasis is on the goodness of quiet waiting — not frantic activity, but trusting endurance. Verse 27 emphasizes the goodness of discipline and endurance early in life — training the soul to trust God in hardship.

Psalm 119:65-72 is the acrostic section of teth. It too focuses on the goodness of God. Psalm 119:68 says,

⁶⁸ You are good and do good; teach me Your statutes.

The adversary is shown in Psalm 119:69,

⁶⁹ The arrogant have forged a lie against me; with all my heart I will observe Your precepts.

Psalm 119:71 says,

⁷¹ It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.

The ultimate purpose of God’s law is to teach men the paths of righteousness by learning His precepts and statutes. Hence, the law judges sin, not to punish but to correct and to effect change. This is the teth revelation of the goodness of God as set forth in Psalm 119 and in Lam. 3:25-27.