Lamentations 3:39-49

39 What grutched a man living, a man (punished) for his sins? (Why grumble a living man, when he is punished for his sins?)

40 Search we our ways, and seek we, and turn we again to the Lord. (Consider all that we do, and seek we the truth about it, and then turn we again to the Lord.)

41 Raise we our hearts with hands, to the Lord into heavens. (Raise we up our hearts with our hands, to the Lord in heaven.)

42 We have done wickedly, and have stirred thee to wrath; therefore thou art not able to be prayed (to).

43 Thou coveredest in strong vengeance, and smitedest us (and hast struck us); thou killedest (us), and sparedest (us) not.

44 Thou settedest a cloud to thee, that prayer pass not. (Thou hast set a cloud before thee, that prayers cannot pass through.)

45 Thou settedest me, drawing up by the root, and casting out, in the midst of [the] peoples. (Thou hast made us, as if drawn up by the root, and cast out, in the midst of the peoples.)

46 All [the] enemies opened their mouth on us. (All the enemies have opened their mouths against us.)

47 Inward dread and snare is made to us, prophecy and defouling. (Inward fear and snare be made upon us, and prophecy and defiling.)

48 Mine eyes led down partings of waters, for the defouling of the daughter of my people.

49 Mine eye was tormented, and was not still; for no rest was. (My eyes were tormented, and were not still; for there was no rest,)

Lamentations 3:39-49 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LAMENTATIONS 3

This chapter is a complaint and lamentation like the former, and on the same subject, only the prophet mixes his own afflictions and distresses with the public calamities; or else he represents the church in her complaints; and some have thought him to be a type of Christ throughout the whole; to whom various things may be applied. It is indeed written in a different form from the other chapters, in another sort of metre; and though in an alphabetical manner as the rest, yet with this difference, that three verses together begin with the same letter; so that the alphabet is gone through three times in it. Here is first a complaint of the afflictions of the prophet, and of the people, expressed by a rod, by darkness, by wormwood and gall, and many other things; and especially by the Lord's appearing against them as an enemy, in a most severe and terrible manner; shutting out their prayer; being as a bear and lion to them; and giving them up to the cruelty and scorn of their enemies, La 3:1-21; then follows some comfort taken by them, from the mercy, faithfulness, and goodness of God; from the usefulness of patience in bearing afflictions; and from the end of God in laying them upon men; and from the providence of God, by which all things are ordered, La 3:22-38; wherefore, instead of complaining, it would be better, it is suggested, to attend to the duties of examination of their ways, and of repentance, and of prayer, La 3:39-41; and a particular prayer is directed to, in which confession of sin is made, and their miseries deplored, by reason of the hidings of God's face, and the insults of their enemies, La 3:42-47; and then the prophet expresses his sympathy with his people under affliction, and declares what he himself met with from his enemies, La 3:48-54; and relates bow he called upon the Lord, and he heard and delivered him, La 3:55-58; and concludes with a request that he would judge his cause, and avenge him on enemies, La 3:59-66.