Lamentations 3
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
3Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
4My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
5He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
6He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
7He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
8Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
9He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
10He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
11He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
12He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
14I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
15He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
16He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
17And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
18And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
19Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
27It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
29He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
30He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
31For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
32But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
33For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
34To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
35To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
36To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
37Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
38Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
39Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
40Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
41Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
42We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
43Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
44Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
45Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
46All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
47Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
48Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
50Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
51Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
52Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
53They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
54Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
55I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
56Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
57Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
58O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
59O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
60Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
61Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;
62The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
63Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.
64Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
65Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
66Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâhH306812× in this chapter
Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
- לֹאlôʼH380812× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- עַלʻalH592111× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- כֹּלkôlH360510× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- כִּיkîyH35888× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- נֶפֶשׁnepheshH53156× in this chapter
properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
- טוֹבṭôwbH28965× in this chapter
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
- אָמַרʼâmarH5595× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72005× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- אֲדֹנָיʼĂdônâyH1364× in this chapter
the Lord (used as a proper name of God only)
- גֶּבֶרgeberH13974× in this chapter
properly, a valiant man or warrior; generally, a person simply
- יוֹםyôwmH31174× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
- שׁוּבshûwbH77254× in this chapter
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
- דֶּרֶךְderekH18703× in this chapter
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
- הָיָהhâyâhH19613× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- זָכַרzâkarH21423× in this chapter
properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; to be male
- חַיchayH24163× in this chapter
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
- לֵבlêbH38203× in this chapter
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
- אֵלʼêlH4133× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- נָתַןnâthanH54143× in this chapter
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
- עַיִןʻayinH58693× in this chapter
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
- עַםʻamH59713× in this chapter
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
- פֶּהpehH63103× in this chapter
the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to
- שָׁמַיִםshâmayimH80643× in this chapter
the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)
- בֵּןbênH11212× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- אָדָםʼâdâmH1202× in this chapter
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
- בַּתbathH13232× in this chapter
a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
- גָּדַרgâdarH14432× in this chapter
to wall in or around
- זָנַחzânachH21862× in this chapter
reject, forsake, fail
- חֵסֵדchêçêdH26172× in this chapter
kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty
- חֶרְפָּהcherpâhH27812× in this chapter
contumely, disgrace, the pudenda
- יָגָהyâgâhH30132× in this chapter
to grieve
- יָדyâdH30272× in this chapter
a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
- יָחַלyâchalH31762× in this chapter
to wait; by implication, to be patient, hope
- יָצָאyâtsâʼH33182× in this chapter
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
- אֹיֵבʼôyêbH3412× in this chapter
hating; an adversary
- יָשַׁבyâshabH34272× in this chapter
properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
- כֵּןkênH36512× in this chapter
properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)
- לַעֲנָהlaʻănâhH39392× in this chapter
wormwood (regarded as poisonous, and therefore accursed)
- אַלʼalH4082× in this chapter
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing