Faint Hearts and Dim Eyes Lamentations 5:17

When horrific troubles come into our lives, it affects more than our physical being. Extreme difficulties alter the very soul and hope within us, and such was the case with Jerusalem and the nation of Judah. The people rejected the Lord's repeated plea to alter their ways, and the Babylonians were carrying out the judgment of God for their rebellion. In Lamentations chapter five Jeremiah made a list of those who were affected by these judgments, and in verse seventeen we see a further response from those whom the Lord corrected. We read:

For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim.

The verse begins, “For this our heart is faint;” The “heart” or “inner part, mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, or memory” of the people “is faint” which means “weak and unwell”. Where there used to be strength, courage and an indomitable spirit, the events before their eyes and the catastrophic happenings fashioned a feeble and sickly spirit within the people.

The verse goes on to say, “for these things our eyes are dim.” Not only was their “heart” altered by these judgments, but their “eyes are dim” which means “to be or become dark, grow dim, be darkened, be black, or be hidden”. It infers the idea of “hiding, concealing, obscuring or being confused”. In other words these events made their eyes as though they had cataracts upon them, and although they had eyes which saw clearly at one time, clouds and fog replaced their ability to see a bright future ahead of them.

No doubt such difficulties on the scale which the people of Jerusalem and Judah endured affected their spirit and foresight greatly. Perhaps we can relate to them in some measure. When hard times come, they can make our hearts grow faint and without hope to see anything brighter for our future. When we face difficulties that make our spirits faint and our eyes grow dim, we must factor the Lord Jesus into the situation. As long as we focus upon our circumstances, we will have hearts that grow faint and eyes that grow dim. However, when we simply add two words - “But God” to whatever we are facing our hearts are strengthened, and our eyes are brightened. Strength replaces weakness and hope supplants despair. The words to an old song come to mind as we think upon these things:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace.

May we evermore factor the Lord Jesus into every situation no matter how difficult it may be.

Next time we see what happened to the mountain of Zion, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

 

Until tomorrow...there is more...

 

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