Although Lamentations 3:1–66 is a new and complete poem, it stands in continuity with the first two chapters. Yet, there are noticeable differences:
The introduction (
I am the man
) and association of the writer differs from the way in which the writer is employed in the first two chapters.The presence of several very hopeful verses - absent in the first two chapters.1
The complex literary structure of Lamentations 3:1–66. While making use of alphabetic acrostic (like the first two chapters), the form differs. Although the same format of 22 stanzas occurs, in Lamentations 3:1–66 there are three lines, each of which starts with the same letter before going on to the next letter. With Lamentations 1:1–22 and Lamentations 2:1–22 each verse starts with a successive letter of the alphabet. Although there are 66 verses, the overall length of Lamentation 3 does not exceed the length of Lamentations 1:1–22 and Lamentations 2:1–22 respectively.2
1 I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath;