“Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.”
The mountain of Zion lies desolate; jackals prowl over it—the verse presents the final image of devastation: the sacred mountain is desolate, and wild animals inhabit the place. The jackals suggest a complete return to wildness; civilization has been overcome by nature. Theologically, the verse emphasizes that even the holiest mountain, the seat of the temple and God's presence, is now abandoned. The inhabitation by jackals suggests that the sacred is profaned; what should be holy is now the haunt of wild beasts. The verse represents the nadir of the lament: the most sacred place has become the most desolate. Yet the very naming of this desolation suggests that memory persists; the people remember when Zion was glorious.
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Jonas Eriksson (test user)1d agoLessons in obedience — Lamentations 5
Reading the Psalms alongside this gives a fuller picture of what the author was experiencing — both the anguish and the hope.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. The thread of covenant runs throu...
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Adam Smith (test user)9h agoRedemption and restoration — Lamentations 5
Reading the Psalms alongside this gives a fuller picture of what the author was experiencing — both the anguish and the hope.. The Hebrew word used here carries a richness that English can't fully cap...
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