Lamentations 3:17-66

17 I have lost all hope of ever having any peace. I've forgotten what good times are like.

18 So I say, "My glory has faded away. My hope in the LORD is gone."

19 I remember how I suffered and wandered. I remember how bitter my life was.

20 I remember it very well. My spirit is very sad deep down inside me.

21 But here is something else I remember. And it gives me hope.

22 The LORD loves us very much. So we haven't been completely destroyed. His loving concern never fails.

23 His great love is new every morning. Lord, how faithful you are!

24 I say to myself, "The LORD is everything I will ever need. So I will put my hope in him."

25 The LORD is good to those who put their hope in him. He is good to those who look to him.

26 It is good when people wait quietly for the LORD to save them.

27 It is good for a man to carry a heavy load of suffering while he is young.

28 Let him sit alone and not say anything. The LORD has placed that load on him.

29 Let him bury his face in the dust. There might still be hope for him.

30 Let him turn his cheek toward those who would slap him. Let him be filled with shame.

31 The Lord doesn't turn his back on people forever.

32 He might bring suffering. But he will also show loving concern. How great his faithful love is!

33 He doesn't want to bring pain or suffering to people.

34 Every time people crush prisoners under their feet, the Lord knows all about it.

35 When people refuse to give a man his rights, the Most High God knows it.

36 When people don't treat a man fairly, the Lord knows it.

37 Suppose people order something to happen. It won't happen unless the Lord has planned it.

38 Troubles and good things alike come to people because the Most High God has commanded them to come.

39 A man who is still alive shouldn't blame God when God punishes him for his sins.

40 Let's take a good look at the way we're living. Let's return to the Lord.

41 Let's lift up our hands to God in heaven. Let's pray to him with all our hearts.

42 Let's say, "We have sinned. We've refused to obey you. And you haven't forgiven us.

43 "You have covered yourself with the cloud of your anger. You have chased us. You have killed our people without pity.

44 You have covered yourself with the cloud of your anger. Our prayers can't get through to you.

45 You have made us become like trash and garbage among the nations.

46 "All of our enemies have opened their mouths wide to swallow us up.

47 We are terrified and trapped. We are broken and destroyed."

48 Streams of tears flow from my eyes. That's because my people are destroyed.

49 Tears will never stop flowing from my eyes. My eyes can't get any rest.

50 I'll sob until the LORD looks down from heaven. I'll cry until he notices my tears.

51 What I see brings pain to my spirit. All of the people in my city are suffering so much.

52 Those who were my enemies for no reason at all hunted me down as if I were a bird.

53 They tried to end my life by throwing me into a deep pit. They threw stones down at me.

54 The water rose and covered my head. I thought I was going to die.

55 Lord, I called out to you. I called out from the bottom of the pit.

56 I prayed, "Please don't close your ears to my cry for help." And you heard my appeal.

57 You came near when I called out to you. You said, "Do not be afraid."

58 Lord, you stood up for me in court. You saved my life and set me free.

59 Lord, you have seen the wrong things people have done to me. Stand up for me again!

60 You have seen how my enemies have tried to get even with me. You know all about their plans against me.

61 Lord, you have heard them laugh at me. You know all about their plans against me.

62 You have heard my enemies whispering among themselves. They speak against me all day long.

63 Just look at them sitting and standing there! They sing and make fun of me.

64 Lord, pay them back. Punish them for what their hands have done.

65 Cover their minds with a veil. Put a curse on them!

66 Lord, get angry with them and hunt them down. Wipe them off the face of the earth.

Lamentations 3:17-66 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.