Lamentations 3:36

36 if they twist justice in the courts— doesn’t the Lord see all these things?

Lamentations 3:36 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 3:36

To subvert a man in his cause
A poor man, as the Targum, which aggravates it; as by courses and methods taken in an open court, so by secret underhand ways, to get the cause from him, and injure him in his property: the Lord approveth not;
or, "seeth not" F7; which some understand as spoken by wicked men, who do the above things, and flatter themselves that God sees not, and takes no notice of them, ( Ezekiel 9:9 ) ; and others read it interrogatively, "doth not the Lord see?" F8 he does; he sees all the actions of men, nothing is hid from him; but he sees not with approbation; he do not look upon such things with delight and pleasure, but with abhorrence, ( Habakkuk 1:13 ) . The Targum is,

``is it possible that it should not be revealed before the Lord?''

FOOTNOTES:

F7 (har al) "non vidit, vel videt", Pagninus, Montanus, Calvin.
F8 "Non videret?" Piscator.

Lamentations 3:36 In-Context

34 If people crush underfoot all the prisoners of the land,
35 if they deprive others of their rights in defiance of the Most High,
36 if they twist justice in the courts— doesn’t the Lord see all these things?
37 Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission?
38 Does not the Most High send both calamity and good?
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