His Mouth in the Dust Lamentations 3:29

We have learned a lot through Jeremiah about a man who has been greatly humbled by his circumstances. In our last few verses of study through chapter three of Lamentations, we have seen the benefit to the man who bears this type of yoke in silence, while sitting alone, and in his youth. In verse twenty-nine Jeremiah adds to his description of what this man is like where he wrote:

He puts his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.

The verse begins, “He puts his mouth in the dust;” At first glance we may picture a man bending over to the ground and putting his mouth directly upon it, and our imagination would be correct. The idea is “submission, humility, and a suppliant attitude”. Where at one time this man might have stood proudly, his current situation has brought him so low that his lips are caressing the dirt below him.

The verse goes on to say, “if so be there may be hope.” Because this man has humbled himself to this degree, he has “hope” that his conditions will be altered. In this midst of his troubles he rallies himself to say under his breath, “Maybe there is still hope for me”.

While we think on these things, perhaps we too have been brought to the ground with our lips touching the dust in humility before the LORD. As we bear our yokes with humility, maybe we relate to Jeremiah's example. We may be hoping there will be a change soon, an alteration to the current conditions, and perhaps even just a bit of relief. When these times come we can rely upon the word of God to give us strength and encouragement, and there are no better words than Jesus' whom Dr. Luke recorded in chapter eighteen and verse fourteen of the gospel called after his name:

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.

May our difficulties and circumstances bring us into a deeper and deeper humility so we may continue to hope in the LORD'S mighty rescuing hand.

Next time we see what the man who bears his yoke does with his cheek, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

 

Until tomorrow...there is more...

 

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore