絕境之中的禱告 （哀五）中英bilingual

耶和華啊，求你記念我們所遭遇的事，耶和華啊，求你使我們向你回轉，我們便得回轉。（參哀 5：1、21） 

耶利米哀歌最後一章，是一首先知為要悔改的百姓代求的禱告詞，1-18節看到百姓失去了土地、尊嚴與平安，生活陷入困境，甚至連最基本的生活需要都要付出很大的代價。他們面對的不只是身體上的疲乏，也承受著羞辱、混亂與心靈上的痛苦。然而，在如此絕望的景況中，百姓仍然選擇來到神面前呼求。本段是錫安居民集體向神的禱告，求神記念他們的苦境，百姓在極度痛苦中向神發出哀求，細數國破家亡的凌辱，並懇求神使他們回轉復興。 

耶和華啊，求你記念我們所遭遇的事，觀看我們所受的凌辱。(哀 5：1)  

神在西乃山與他們立約，把以色列民帶離埃及，出紅海來到西乃山，祂是拯救的神，雖然以色列經已亡國，擔罪的民在神面前也無言以對，但唯一沒變的他們可以繼續呼喊祂的名字，懇求與他們立約的神不要忘記他們，要看到他們所受的凌辱。 猶大國亡國之後，不少的外邦人趁機侵佔了猶大的土地。 當聖殿還在的時候，人沒有敬畏神，在祝福和順境中，人沒有按神的心意來生活，以色列人不停活在罪的惡性循環中，以致百姓連得到最基本的生活來源都要付出很大的代價，肉體的傷害及疲乏，同時還要承受侮辱。 

以色列人在過去蒙神祝福時，沒有真正敬畏神，也沒有按著神的心意生活。他們一次又一次陷入犯罪的循環，最終使國家走向滅亡。這提醒我們，當人生順利時，我們很容易忘記神；但當環境出現問題時，我們又希望神立刻拯救我們。因此，我們不但要在困難中尋求神，也要在平順的日子中學習敬畏祂。  

人算什麼，你竟顧念他？世人算什麼，你竟眷顧他？你叫他比天使微小一點，並賜他榮耀尊貴為冠冕。（參詩 8：4-5） 

19-22節，看到百姓的禱告轉向永恆的盼望，他們呼求耶和華，求神記念他們所遭遇的事，觀看他們所受的凌辱，然而無論我們怎樣的落魄，怎樣的卑微，遭遇怎樣的悲慘，我們的神都會像父親接納小兒子一樣的接納我們， 只要我們願意悔改回轉向神。 百姓把目光從自己的痛苦轉向永恆的神。他們宣告：耶和華啊，你存到永遠；你的寶座存到萬代。（哀 5：19）國家會滅亡，環境會改變，人的力量也會衰敗，但神永遠不改變。 

求你使我們向你回轉，我們便得回轉；求你復新我們的日子，像古時一樣。（哀 5：21） 

百姓承認自己的罪，承認自己離開了神。他們不是只求神改變環境，更求神改變自己。這也是我們今天需要學習的功課。有時候我們面對困難，只希望神拿走問題，卻沒有問自己：「神要藉著這件事情在我的生命中做什麼？」真正的復興，不只是環境得到改善，而是人的心重新回到神面前。  

這是最後一首團體的禱告詩，求神記念他們的苦況，並在懺悔罪的心意中，仰望神的恩惠，使他們得以再次復興。 弟兄姊妹，若我們現在的生活也是如此的枯竭，靈命乾涸，都讓我們來到神的面前悔改，放下自我，求神更新我們，反轉我們的生命，復興我們的靈命。 因爲，絕境不一定是生命的終點，也可以成為我們重新遇見神的地方。當我們願意放下自我、承認自己的罪，真心回轉歸向神，祂就能在我們破碎的生命中重新工作，神看重的是我們內心真實的悔改和心意。當我們願意來到神的面前放下自我，就是神做工的時候。因為神從來不離棄我們，祂對我們的愛永不改變。  

耶穌基督，昨日、今日、一直到永遠、是一樣的。（來 13：8） 

by陳世英

真耶穌教會石牌教會、天母教會線上講道

石牌教會https://www.youtube.com/@TJChurchShipai

天母教會https://www.youtube.com/c/TJC_Tianmu/featured

The Prayer in the Time of Despair (Lamentations Chapter 5)

August 23, 2026

Remember, Lord, what has come upon us; Restore us to You, Lord, so that we may be restored. (Lam. 5:1、21)

The final chapter of the Book of Lamentations is a  prayer by the prophet on behalf of the repentant people. From verses 1 to 18, it vividly details the plight of a nation that has lost its land, dignity and peace. Their daily lives were reduced to hardship, where even the most basic necessities came at high price.  What they faced was not merely physical exhaustion, but also deep humiliation, societal chaos and mental suffering. Yet, in the depths of this seemingly hopeless situation, the people still chose to call upon God. In this passage, the people of Zion prayed together, asking God to remember their distress. Out of extreme bitterness, they recounted the humiliation of their destroyed homes and fallen nation, begging God to restore them and lead them toward revival. 

Remember, Lord, what has come upon us; Look, and see our disgrace! (Lam. 5:1)

God made a covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai after bringing them out of Egypt and guiding them safely through the Red Sea. He showed Himself to be the God of salvation. Yet, the Nation fell into rebellion. Stripped of all excuses, those bearing the weight of their own sin stood speechless before God. The only undeniable truth left was that they could still call upon His name. They could still beg the covenant keeping God not to forget them, pleading with Him to look upon the oppression and torment they were enduring. After the Kingdom of Judah fell, foreigners occupied their promised land.  When the Holy Temple was still standing, the people had refused to respect of fear God. During times of prosperity and blessing, they chose not to live according to His will. Israel remained trapped in a evil cycle of sin, ultimately paying a heavy price, struggling for basic necessities, suffering physical exhaustion and harm, and enduring constant humiliation.  

When the people of Israel were blessed by God in the past, they failed to respect and fear Him. Nor did they live according to His will. Instead, they fell into a continuous cycle of sin, ultimately leading their nation down the path of destruction. This serves as a sobering reminder for us today, when life is going smoothly, how easily we forget God. Yet the moment trouble strikes, we expect Him to rescue us immediately.  Therefore, let us learn to seek God in times of trouble, and actively respect and fear Him in times of prosperity.  

What is man that You think of him,

And a son of man that You are concerned about him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God,

And You crown him with glory and majesty! (Psalm 8:4-5)

In verses19 to 22, we witness the prayer of people transform into eternal hope. They called out to the Lord, pleading for God to remember all they had endured and to look upon the shame. No matter how down and out, lowly or miserable we may be, our God will welcome us back like a loving father, as long as we repent and return to Him. The People turned their gaze away from their own pain and fixed their eyes on the eternal God. They declared, “You, Lord, rule forever; Your throne is from generation to generation.” (Lam. 5:19) Nations may fall, circumstances will change, and human power will decay, but God remains forever unchanged. 

Restore us to You, Lord, so that we may be restored; Renew our days as of old, (Lam. 5:21)

The people admitted they had sinned and turned away from God. Crucially, they didn’t simply ask Him to change their painful circumstances; they begged Him to transform their hearts. This is the lesson we must learn today. When facing trials, we often pray for God to take the problem away, rarely asking, “Lord, what do you want to work in my life through this situation?” True rebirth is not about altering our external conditions. The most essential transformation happens when our hearts return to God. 

This final passage represents the collective prayer. The people asked God to remember their trials, appealing to His grace with regretful hearts, longing to be spiritually revived. Brothers and sisters, if our life feels exhausted and our spirit dry, let’s come before God in repentance. We need to humble ourselves, asking Him to transform us, turn our lives around, and revive our spirits. Despair is not necessarily the end of life; it can be the very place where we meet God again. When we are willing to surrender ourselves, acknowledge our sin, and truly return to God, He will begin working through our brokenness. God values genuine repentance and a contrite heart. The moment we surrender before God is the moment He begins His work. For He will never leave us, and His love for us will never change.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever. (Heb. 13:8)

by Shi-Ying Chen