Lamentations 3:31-40

Great Is Your Faithfulness

31 w For the Lord will not
cast off forever,
 32 but, though he x cause grief, y he will have compassion
z according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
 33 a for he does not willingly afflict
or b grieve the children of men.

34 To crush underfoot
all c the prisoners of the earth,
 35 d to deny a man justice
in the presence of the Most High,
 36 to subvert a man in his lawsuit,
d the Lord does not approve.

37 e Who has spoken and it came to pass,
unless the Lord has commanded it?
 38 f Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that good and bad come?
 39 g Why should a living man complain,
a man, about the punishment of his sins?

40 Let us test and examine our ways,
h and return to the Lord!

  1. Cross References
    Psalms 103:9
    He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.
  2. Cross References
    Lamentations 1:5
    Her foes have become the head; her enemies prosper, because the Lord has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions; her children have gone away, captives before the foe.
  3. Cross References
    Psalms 103:8
    The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
  4. Cross References
    Psalms 106:45
    For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
  5. Cross References
    Hebrews 12:6
    For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.
    Hebrews 12:10
    For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
  6. Cross References
    Hebrews 12:11
    For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
  7. Cross References
    Psalms 107:10
    Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons.
  8. Cross References
    Habakkuk 1:13
    You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?
  9. Cross References
    Lamentations 3:35
    To deny a man justice in the presence of the Most High.
  10. Cross References
    Psalms 33:9
    For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
  11. Cross References
    Isaiah 45:7
    I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.
    Amos 3:6
    Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?
  12. Cross References
    Proverbs 19:3
    When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord.
  13. Cross References
    Joel 2:12 - 13
    Yet even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.