Best Commentaries on Lamentations

A clear and insightful introduction to Lamentations. Provan does a fine job surveying the big questions the text raises.

Ferris’s commentary expertly situates the genre of the biblical text. Longman writes, “Ferris is a longtime student of city laments in the ancient Near East and the book of Lamentations in particular. He utilizes his lengthy study well in expositing this short but important biblical book.”

Wright’s work on Lamentations helpfully guides the reader to understand how the book’s poetry connects with the rest of the Scripture, and how we might apply its rich theological message in our own lives. Deeply pastoral. This is a helpful companion for reading Lamentations devotionally.

A strong commentary on theological significance and contemporary application. Mathison notes, “With a book like Lamentations, it is sometimes difficult to comprehend the contemporary significance. Dearman does an outstanding job showing the way in which this book remains very relevant 2,500 years after the first destruction of Jerusalem.”

Huey’s commentary mines the depths Lamentations. Balancing poetic analysis with canonical connections and theological insights, the book will prove a helpful guide to this challenging book.

A clear and insightful commentary based on Ryken’s sermons. The content is well-written, strong on exposition, and digestible.

Parry moves expertly between the Old Testament context and the theological significance of the book. He also gives careful attention to connections between the Old Testament text and the New.

A highly regarded commentary that explains the scholarly conversations surrounding this text to a popular audience. It also drives home the theological meaning of each section of the book. Longman shows his readers that Israel’s sin is the reason for its suffering.

An insightful work that looks at Lamentations in relation to other ancient Near Eastern Literature. Longman notes that Berlin “focuses on literary features, particularly the book’s metaphors, to get at the theology of the book. She lists ‘purity, mourning, repentance, and the Davidic covenant’ as particularly important themes in the book.”

A faithful and theologically rich exploration of the moving poetry of Lamentations. House delves into scholarly debates without losing the theological significance of the book. The translation footnotes as well as the structural, metrical, and form analyses are great for readers with excellent Hebrew skills. The comment and explanation sections bring the fruit of the scholarly inquiry into focus for all readers.

A well-researched and well-argued commentary. While Gerstenberger’s writing is considerably technical, it attends closely to the text.