Foreword by Nicholas Wolterstorff
Introduction
Exposition
First Poem: Grief, Guilt, and the Need for Prayer
Human Losses (1:1-6)
Material Losses (1:7-11)
Zion's Cry of Culpability (1:12-16)
Comments on Zion's Cries (1:17)
Zion's Confession and Prayer of Grievance (1:18-22)
Second Poem: Grief, Guilt, and the Need for Prayer
God's Awesome Anger at Work (2:1-5)
God's Systematic Destruction of Zion (2:6-10)
A Sea of Troubles (2:11-17)
A Call to Zion to Pray and Zion's Prayer (2:18-22)
Third Poem: The Wounded Healer
His Testimony of Guilty Wounds (3:1-16)
His Second Thoughts (3:17-24)
The Wounded Healer's Sermon (3:25-39)
His Call to the Congregation to Pray (3:40-51)
His Testimony of Prayers of Appeal and Grievance (3:52-66)
Fourth Poem: Grief and Guilt Prolonged--and to Be Reversed
The Cheapening of Human Life (4:1-6)
More Horrors of the Siege (4:7-11)
How One Guilty Group Suffered (4:12-16)
Despair--and Eventual Hope (4:17-22)
Fifth Poem: The Congregation's Prayer as Turning Point
Present Distress and Confession (5:1-7)
Humiliation, Sorrow, and Confession (5:8-16)
Challenging Cries for Help (5:17-22)