25 The LORD H3068 is good H2896 unto them that wait H6960 for him, to the soul H5315 that seeketh H1875 him.
Therefore I will look H6822 unto the LORD; H3068 I will wait H3176 for the God H430 of my salvation: H3468 my God H430 will hear H8085 me. Rejoice H8055 not against me, O mine enemy: H341 when I fall, H5307 I shall arise; H6965 when I sit H3427 in darkness, H2822 the LORD H3068 shall be a light H216 unto me.
And it shall be said H559 in that day, H3117 Lo, this is our God; H430 we have waited H6960 for him, and he will save H3467 us: this is the LORD; H3068 we have waited H6960 for him, we will be glad H1523 and rejoice H8055 in his salvation. H3444
[[To the chief Musician, H5329 A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 I waited H6960 patiently H6960 for the LORD; H3068 and he inclined H5186 unto me, and heard H8085 my cry. H7775 He brought me up H5927 also out of an horrible H7588 pit, H953 out of the miry H3121 clay, H2916 and set H6965 my feet H7272 upon a rock, H5553 and established H3559 my goings. H838 And he hath put H5414 a new H2319 song H7892 in my mouth, H6310 even praise H8416 unto our God: H430 many H7227 shall see H7200 it, and fear, H3372 and shall trust H982 in the LORD. H3068 Blessed H835 is that man H1397 that maketh H7760 the LORD H3068 his trust, H4009 and respecteth H6437 not the proud, H7295 nor such as turn aside H7750 to lies. H3577 Many, H7227 O LORD H3068 my God, H430 are thy wonderful H6381 works which thou hast done, H6213 and thy thoughts H4284 which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order H6186 unto thee: if I would declare H5046 and speak H1696 of them, they are more H6105 than can be numbered. H5608
And now, Lord, H136 what wait H6960 I for? my hope H8431 is in thee.
Wait H6960 on the LORD: H3068 be of good courage, H2388 and he shall strengthen H553 thine heart: H3820 wait, H6960 I say, on the LORD. H3068
And in every work H4639 that he began H2490 in the service H5656 of the house H1004 of God, H430 and in the law, H8451 and in the commandments, H4687 to seek H1875 his God, H430 he did H6213 it with all his heart, H3824 and prospered. H6743
Nevertheless H61 there are good H2896 things H1697 found H4672 in thee, in that thou hast taken away H1197 the groves H842 out of the land, H776 and hast prepared H3559 thine heart H3824 to seek H1875 God. H430
And he went out H3318 to meet H6440 Asa, H609 and said H559 unto him, Hear H8085 ye me, Asa, H609 and all Judah H3063 and Benjamin; H1144 The LORD H3068 is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek H1875 him, he will be found H4672 of you; but if ye forsake H5800 him, he will forsake H5800 you.
Therefore wait H2442 ye upon me, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 until the day H3117 that I rise up H6965 to the prey: H5706 for my determination H4941 is to gather H622 the nations, H1471 that I may assemble H6908 the kingdoms, H4467 to pour H8210 upon them mine indignation, H2195 even all my fierce H2740 anger: H639 for all the earth H776 shall be devoured H398 with the fire H784 of my jealousy. H7068
Be patient G3114 therefore, G3767 brethren, G80 unto G2193 the coming G3952 of the Lord. G2962 Behold, G2400 the husbandman G1092 waiteth G1551 for the precious G5093 fruit G2590 of the earth, G1093 and hath long patience G3114 for G1909 it, G846 until G2193 G302 he receive G2983 the early G4406 and G2532 latter G3797 rain. G5205
And G2532 to wait for G362 his G846 Son G5207 from G1537 heaven, G3772 whom G3739 he raised G1453 from G1537 the dead, G3498 even Jesus, G2424 which G3588 delivered G4506 us G2248 from G575 the wrath G3709 to come. G2064
And thou, Solomon H8010 my son, H1121 know H3045 thou the God H430 of thy father, H1 and serve H5647 him with a perfect H8003 heart H3820 and with a willing H2655 mind: H5315 for the LORD H3068 searcheth H1875 all hearts, H3824 and understandeth H995 all the imaginations H3336 of the thoughts: H4284 if thou seek H1875 him, he will be found H4672 of thee; but if thou forsake H5800 him, he will cast thee off H2186 for ever. H5703
It is good H2896 that a man should both hope H3175 H2342 and quietly wait H1748 for the salvation H8668 of the LORD. H3068
But they that wait H6960 upon the LORD H3068 shall renew H2498 their strength; H3581 they shall mount up H5927 with wings H83 as eagles; H5404 they shall run, H7323 and not be weary; H3021 and they shall walk, H3212 and not faint. H3286
And therefore will the LORD H3068 wait, H2442 that he may be gracious H2603 unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, H7311 that he may have mercy H7355 upon you: for the LORD H3068 is a God H430 of judgment: H4941 blessed H835 are all they that wait H2442 for him.
I wait H6960 for the LORD, H3068 my soul H5315 doth wait, H6960 and in his word H1697 do I hope. H3176 My soul H5315 waiteth for the Lord H136 more than they that watch H8104 for the morning: H1242 I say, more than they that watch H8104 for the morning. H1242
The humble H6035 shall see H7200 this, and be glad: H8055 and your heart H3824 shall live H2421 that seek H1875 God. H430
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Lamentations 3
Commentary on Lamentations 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
The scope of this chapter is the same with that of the two foregoing chapters, but the composition is somewhat different; that was in long verse, this is in short, another kind of metre; that was in single alphabets, this is in a treble one. Here is,
Some make all this to be spoken by the prophet himself when he was imprisoned and persecuted; but it seems rather to be spoken in the person of the church now in captivity and in a manner desolate, and in the desolations of which the prophet did in a particular manner interest himself. But the complaints here are somewhat more general than those in the foregoing chapter, being accommodated to the case as well of particular persons as of the public, and intended for the use of the closet rather than of the solemn assembly. Some think Jeremiah makes these complaints, not only as an intercessor for Israel, but as a type of Christ, who was thought by some to be Jeremiah the weeping prophet, because he was much in tears (Mt. 16:14) and to him many of the passages here may be applied.
Lam 3:1-20
The title of the 102nd Psalm might very fitly be prefixed to this chapter-The prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and pours out his complaint before the Lord; for it is very feelingly and fluently that the complaint is here poured out. Let us observe the particulars of it. The prophet complains,
Lam 3:21-36
Here the clouds begin to disperse and the sky to clear up; the complaint was very melancholy in the former part of the chapter, and yet here the tune is altered and the mourners in Zion begin to look a little pleasant. But for hope, the heart would break. To save the heart from being quite broken, here is something called to mind, which gives ground for hope (v. 21), which refers to what comes after, not to what goes before. I make to return to my heart (so the margin words it); what we have had in our hearts, and have laid to our hearts, is sometimes as if it were quite lost and forgotten, till God by his grace make it return to our hearts, that it may be ready to us when we have occasion to use it. "I recall it to mind; therefore have I hope, and am kept from downright despair.' Let us see what these things are which he calls to mind.
Lam 3:37-41
That we may be entitled to the comforts administered to the afflicted in the foregoing verses, and may taste the sweetness of them, we have here the duties of an afflicted state prescribed to us, in the performance of which we may expect those comforts.
Lam 3:42-54
It is easier to chide ourselves for complaining than to chide ourselves out of it. The prophet had owned that a living man should not complain, as if he checked himself for his complaints in the former part of the chapter; and yet here the clouds return after the rain and the wound bleeds afresh; for great pains must be taken with a troubled spirit to bring it into temper.
Lam 3:55-66
We may observe throughout this chapter a struggle in the prophet's breast between sense and faith, fear and hope; he complains and then comforts himself, yet drops his comforts and returns again to his complaints, as Ps. 42. But, as there, so here, faith gets the last word and comes off a conqueror; for in these verses he concludes with some comfort. And here are two things with which he comforts himself:-