Lamentations 3 19

Lamentations 3:19 kjv

Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

Lamentations 3:19 nkjv

Remember my affliction and roaming, The wormwood and the gall.

Lamentations 3:19 niv

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.

Lamentations 3:19 esv

Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall!

Lamentations 3:19 nlt

The thought of my suffering and homelessness
is bitter beyond words.

Lamentations 3 verses

Lamentations 3 19 Meaning

The verse expresses the deep sorrow and remembrance of the suffering and hardship experienced. It conveys the persistent burden of remembering distress and misfortune.

Lamentations 3 19 Context

This verse is found within the book of Lamentations, a collection of laments attributed to Jeremiah, mourning the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians. Chapter 3 is a deeply personal lament from the perspective of a suffering individual, representing the collective grief of the nation. The speaker reflects on the overwhelming pain and the constant burden of remembering their calamities. Despite the depth of suffering described, the chapter also contains a glimmer of hope and a focus on God's faithfulness amidst despair. This verse encapsulates the enduring pain of recollection in the face of severe loss.

Lamentations 3 19 Word Analysis

• וְזָכ֛וּר (və·zā·ḵū·r)

  • Transliteration: ve-zachor
  • Meaning: "And remembered." This is a participial form, signifying a continuous state or an ongoing action. It is derived from the root זכר (zakhar), meaning "to remember," "to mention," or "to keep in mind."
  • Significance: The "and" (וְ, ve) connects this suffering with the previous state of being "empty of my peace" and "forgetting what prosperity is." The remembering is an active, persistent burden. The Hebrew concept of remembrance is often active and can involve recalling deeds or remembering to act. Here, it is an involuntary, painful remembering.

• עוֹד (ʿō·w·ð)

  • Transliteration: od
  • Meaning: "Still," "yet," "again," "more." It emphasizes continuation or repetition.
  • Significance: This intensifies the suffering; the remembering is not a one-time event but a continuous state, adding to the weight of distress.

• לִי (lî)

  • Transliteration: li
  • Meaning: "To me," "for me," "unto me."
  • Significance: This pronoun highlights the intensely personal and internal nature of this persistent remembrance of suffering. It belongs to the speaker.

• מָר (mār)

  • Transliteration: mar
  • Meaning: "Bitter," "bitterness."
  • Significance: The suffering remembered is not just any memory, but a bitter one. This relates to the common biblical motif of bitterness associated with affliction, sin, and severe distress (e.g., the bitter water in Numbers 5:23, the bitter sting of sin).

• מִשְׁמָר (miš·māṟ)

  • Transliteration: mishmar
  • Meaning: "A guard," "a watch," "prison," "custody," "that which is kept or guarded."
  • Significance: This word carries a strong sense of confinement, being held captive, or under a heavy guard. When linked with bitterness, it implies being imprisoned by bitter experiences, perpetually held in the grip of remembered pain. The memory itself acts as a guard keeping the soul captive. This connects to themes of inescapable sorrow and being held in bondage by past trauma. The term mishmar can also refer to a "watch" as in military vigilance, but here in context of affliction, the sense of prison or being held captive is paramount.

• Word-group analysis: "And remembered still to me bitter prison" captures the essence of being perpetually held captive by the agonizing memories of past suffering. The "bitter prison" is a metaphor for a state of mental and emotional confinement caused by remembered afflictions, emphasizing the persistent and inescapable nature of the pain.

Lamentations 3 19 Bonus Section

The concept of a "prison" for the soul or mind due to remembered trauma is a powerful metaphor. In biblical thought, a lack of freedom often implies a spiritual or emotional state. This verse contrasts sharply with the active, purposeful remembrance associated with commanded feasts or historical faithfulness in other parts of Scripture. Here, remembrance is a tormenting affliction, an unwelcome captivity rather than a source of strength or testimony. The word mishmar can imply something being "guarded" or "kept," suggesting that the suffering is intensely preserved in memory and vigilantly guarded, not allowing the speaker to escape. This verse also foreshadows themes of deliverance where God liberates His people from their spiritual captivity, enabling them to move beyond painful memories.

Lamentations 3 19 Commentary

This verse paints a vivid picture of inescapable sorrow. The speaker is not merely remembering past events; they are being held captive by their bitterness, like an inmate in a prison. This remembered suffering continues to be a present reality, a constant ache that confines the soul. It reflects the psychological toll of immense loss and trauma, where memories of hardship become a debilitating burden. The persistence of this "bitter prison" underscores the depth of despair experienced by the nation, emphasizing that healing and recovery are not instantaneous but a long, arduous process, even when the immediate crisis may have passed. Yet, within the broader context of Lamentations 3, this state of being "imprisoned" by memory is immediately followed by a profound acknowledgment of God's enduring mercy (Lamentations 3:21-23), suggesting that even within the bitterest confinement, hope in God can break the chains.