Lamentations

Book Written:  After the final destruction of Jerusalem so around 586 B.C. 

Time Period/Setting:  After the final destruction of Jerusalem so around 586 B.C.  The author (or authors?) is thought to be a Judean who was not exiled but remained in Jerusalem. The author is not the prophet Jeremiah.

Title:  In Hebrew, the title of the book is 'ekah or 'How!' taken from the first word of the first chapter. The title 'Lamentations' is taken from the Latin threni and Greek threnoi.

The book consists of five chapters all of which are essentially psalms, some sorrowful, some hopeful.  The psalms of Lamentations are used during Holy Week in Tenebrae services.

HC says this about Lamentations.  It is "an eloquent expression of grief that helped survivors come to terms with the historical calamity they had gone through."   And, the author(s) of the book accepted the view of "the great preexilic prophets. . . that the destruction of the holy city was the just judgment of God for Israel's sin."   Thus, Lamentations like Jeremiah (and Second Isaiah per Baker) follows the Deuteronomistic view that turning away from God will result in punishment and suffering.