Heidegger's Bible Handbook: Lamentations: Use

4. The use.

This little song was sung, not by the Jews or the nations of those times only, but also by those coming after. In which manner all Scriptures have been accommodated to the progress of all, that we might make a good use of the madness of others, and learn to keep our soundness intact. Therefore, this book teaches to judge rightly concerning God and His judgments, concerning His forbearance, the end of men refusing to repent and spurning sound counsel, the duty both of all believers in calamities, that they might conduct themselves patiently and humbly under the mighty hand of God, acknowledge their fault, and plead for the grace of God; and of the Overseers of the Church, lest they behave insultingly towards the oppressed, or add affliction to the afflicted,[1] but conduct themselves moderately, stand in the gap, entreat the Lord, that they might not think themselves free from the sins of the multitude, but first deplore their own sins. It also teaches to judge skillfully concerning the calamities and persecutions of the Church and victories of enemies: concerning the causes of the ruin of Kingdoms, the end of confidence in the arm of the flesh, and many other things of this sort.

[1] See Psalm 22:24.