Lamentations 3:19-29

19 Have thou mind on my poverty, and going over, and on wormwood and gall. (Remember my poverty, and my goings about, yea, the wormwood and the gall.)

20 By mind I shall be mindful; and my soul shall fail in me. (Remember, O remember; even though my soul shall fail in me.)

21 I bethink these things in mine heart, I shall hope in God.

22 The mercies of the Lord be many, for we be not wasted; for why his merciful doings failed not.

23 I knew in the morrowtide; thy faith is much [much is thy faith]. (They be new in the morning; great is thy faithfulness.)

24 My soul said, The Lord is my part; therefore I shall abide him. (My soul said, The Lord is my portion; and so I shall wait for him.)

25 The Lord is good to them that hope into him, to a soul seeking him. (The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to someone seeking him.)

26 It is good to abide with stillness the health of God. (It is good to silently wait for the salvation of God./It is good to patiently wait for the deliverance of God.)

27 It is good to a man (It is good for a person), when he hath borne the yoke of his youth.

28 He shall sit alone, and he shall be still; for he raised himself above himself. (He shall sit alone, and he shall be silent/and he shall be patient; and he shall carry it by himself.)

29 He shall set his mouth in (the) dust, if peradventure hope is. (He shall put his face upon the ground, for perhaps there may still be hope.)

Lamentations 3:19-29 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.