哀歌（jeremiad）指的是长长的哀痛抱怨，是一张痛苦的清单。这个词一开始在耶利米书中被用来描述那些充满哀痛的长篇段落。事实上，耶利米先知在他那个时代总是不断地责备神的百姓。
整卷耶利米书的基调就是哀痛，因为百姓的罪实在令人沮丧：拜偶像，奸淫，苦待穷人、寡妇和孤儿。耶利米说，神的百姓就像不忠的配偶和叛逆的孩子一般。他宣告说，神对这种不忠的审判终必来临。事实的确如此。神的百姓失去了应许之地，被放逐到巴比伦。
在我们今天的经文中，耶利米问：“在基列岂没有乳香吗？在那里岂没有医生呢？”从字面上讲，基列的乳香是利用当地树木制成的一种即效药膏。但这并不是耶利米所暗指的疗法和医生。他说的这位医生，能够治愈因悖逆和与神分离带来的永恒创伤。耶利米是在谈论救赎。
感恩的是，神并没有任由祂伤心的百姓被俘虏和远离家乡。尽管他们遭受放逐之苦，神还是因祂的信实医治了他们，使他们回转。然而，那更大的、永恒的医治是伴随着大医生耶稣而来的，祂使我们的心灵得以回转。
耶稣啊，我们的大医生，唯有祢是我们所需的乳香，能医治我们被罪污染的心灵。我们祈求祢饶恕我们的罪。求祢医治我们。阿们。
耶利米书 8:22-9:3
22 在基列岂没有乳香呢？在那里岂没有医生呢？我百姓为何不得痊愈呢？
1 但愿我的头为水，我的眼为泪的泉源，我好为我百姓中被杀的人昼夜哭泣！
2 唯愿我在旷野有行路人住宿之处，使我可以离开我的民出去，因他们都是行奸淫的，是行诡诈的一党。
3 “他们弯起舌头像弓一样，为要说谎话。他们在国中增长势力，不是为行诚实，乃是恶上加恶，并不认识我。”这是耶和华说的。
“Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?" — Jeremiah 8:22
A jeremiad is a long, mournful complaint, a list of woes. This word came into use as a description of long, woe-filled passages in the book of Jeremiah. Indeed, the prophet rails repeatedly against the people of God in his day.
The tone of Jeremiah’s entire book is lament because the sins of the people are truly depressing: idolatry, adultery, mistreatment of the poor and widows and orphans. God’s people, says Jeremiah, are like an unfaithful spouse and rebellious children. God’s judgment on such unfaithfulness will inevitably come, Jeremiah declares. And it does. God’s people lose the promised land and are exiled to Babylon.
In our passage today Jeremiah asks, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?” Literally, the balm of Gilead was a topical medicine made from a local tree. But that’s not the treatment or the doctor Jeremiah is alluding to. He’s talking about a physician who can salve the eternal wound of rebellion and separation from God himself. He’s talking about salvation.
Thankfully, God doesn’t leave his grieving people captive and far from home. Though the people suffer exile, God in his faithfulness heals and restores them. But the greater, eternal healing comes with the Great Physician, Jesus, who restores our souls.
O Jesus, Great Physician, you alone are the balm we need to heal our sin-sick souls. We beg your forgiveness for our sins. Heal us, we pray. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
