Lamentations 3:2 kjv
He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
Lamentations 3:2 nkjv
He has led me and made me walk In darkness and not in light.
Lamentations 3:2 niv
He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light;
Lamentations 3:2 esv
he has driven and brought me into darkness without any light;
Lamentations 3:2 nlt
He has led me into darkness,
shutting out all light.
Lamentations 3 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lam 3:22-23 | His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. | Fulfils and expands Lam 3:22 |
| Psa 23:3 | He refreshes my soul. | Echoes daily renewal |
| Psa 30:5 | Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes with the morning. | Parallels suffering followed by joy/mercy |
| Psa 52:1 | God’s steadfast love endures forever! | Affirms steadfast love |
| Psa 107:1 | Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. | Affirms steadfast love |
| Psa 119:64 | Your love, Lord, fills the earth; teach me your decrees. | Highlights pervasive love |
| Psa 136:1 | Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. | Emphasizes enduring love |
| Isa 43:25 | "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. | Highlights forgiveness and God's initiative |
| Isa 54:7-8 | For a moment I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In a burst of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you. | Directly contrasts anger with everlasting kindness/compassion |
| Lam 1:16 | This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears. No one is near to comfort me. | Provides stark contrast to God's comfort |
| Lam 3:1 | I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his indignation. | Sets the backdrop of intense suffering |
| Lam 3:31-33 | For no one rejects the Lord’s plans for good; he does not inflict suffering and sorrow on us. | Explains God's perspective on suffering |
| Mic 7:18-19 | Who is a god like you, accepting iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of your inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and cast all our transgressions into the depths of the sea. | Emphasizes God's willingness to forgive and show mercy |
| Matt 9:13 | "But you ought to go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'" | Jesus quotes Hosea, highlighting mercy |
| Mark 10:45 | For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. | Christ's service as an act of mercy |
| Luke 6:36 | Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. | Commands believers to show mercy |
| John 3:16 | For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. | Ultimate expression of God's love and mercy |
| Rom 3:23-25 | for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—by faith. | Links sin to God's redemptive mercy in Christ |
| Rom 9:15-16 | For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desiring or straining, but on God’s mercy. | Affirms God's sovereign mercy |
| Eph 2:4-5 | But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our sins—it is by grace you have been saved. | Highlights God's rich mercy |
| Phil 2:6-7 | Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant. | Christ's humility as an act of mercy |
| Titus 3:4-5 | But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. | Connects salvation directly to God's mercy |
| Heb 4:16 | Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. | Encourages seeking God's mercy |
| 1 Peter 1:3 | Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. | Connects mercy to new birth and hope |
| Jude 1:21 | keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. | Focuses on waiting for God's mercy |
Lamentations 3 verses
Lamentations 3 2 Meaning
This verse powerfully declares God's steadfast love. Despite the profound suffering described, the author, Jeremiah, asserts that God's compassion and mercies are renewed daily. These mercies are the reason the nation of Israel has not been utterly consumed by their sins and subsequent judgment. The core message is one of unfailing divine goodness amidst intense human affliction and sin.
Lamentations 3 2 Context
This verse is found in Lamentations chapter 3, a chapter that is intensely personal and deeply mournful. Jeremiah, the author, describes his personal suffering and the collective suffering of the nation of Israel due to their sin and God's subsequent judgment. The nation has been devastated, exiled, and afflicted. However, even in this state of extreme despair, Jeremiah pivots to a declaration of faith in God's unfailing compassion. This statement of God's mercies being new every morning is an anchor of hope in the midst of overwhelming despair, positioning God's faithfulness as the ultimate source of sustenance and potential restoration for a broken people. The historical context is the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile.
Lamentations 3 2 Word Analysis
- This: Pronoun referring to God's faithfulness or His character as revealed in the previous verses.
- is: Verb 'to be', indicating existence and reality.
- the: Definite article, specifying.
- Lord's: Possessive noun. Hebrew: יְהוָה (YHWH), the covenant name of God, often translated "LORD". It emphasizes God's personal relationship and covenant commitment.
- lovingkindness: Noun. Hebrew: חֶסֶד (checed). This is a rich term conveying covenant faithfulness, steadfast love, mercy, grace, and loyalty. It's not mere emotion but an active commitment.
- is: Verb 'to be', again.
- not: Negative particle. Hebrew: לֹא (lo).
- consumeth: Verb. Hebrew: תַּמּוּ (tammū), from root תָּמַם (tamam), meaning to end, cease, be finished, or to be consumed. Here, it speaks of utter destruction or bringing to an end.
- because: Conjunction, introducing the reason.
- his: Possessive pronoun, referring back to God.
- mercies: Noun. Hebrew: רַחֲמֵי (rachamê), plural of רַחַם (racham). It derives from the word for "womb" (רֶחֶם, rechem), powerfully evoking tender, maternal compassion and deep-seated empathy, particularly in the face of suffering or distress.
Word Group Analysis:
- "lovingkindness is not consumed": This phrase juxtaposes the concept of God's steadfast love with the idea of destruction. It asserts that despite the immense suffering and the apparent cessation of good, God's fundamental covenant faithfulness remains intact and active. The judgment might seem final, but God's core character of lovingkindness is enduring and unbreakable.
- "mercies are not consumed": This echoes the preceding phrase, using the concept of mercy. It specifically highlights God's tender compassion. These mercies, unlike earthly resources or hope, cannot be depleted or destroyed. They are an inexhaustible divine attribute.
Lamentations 3 2 Bonus Section
The placement of this verse in chapter 3, following Jeremiah's deepest lament (verses 1-20), serves as a critical theological turning point. It transforms personal and national grief into an act of faith by reaffirming God's enduring character. The repeated use of the definite article "the" before "Lord's" and the possessive "His" before "mercies" underscores that these are not arbitrary qualities but inherent attributes of YHWH. The rich Hebrew terms 'checed' and 'rachamê' highlight that God's love and compassion are not superficial but deep, committed, and visceral, mirroring the intimate and unconditional nature of a mother's love for her child. This understanding provides a basis for repentance and hope for restoration.
Lamentations 3 2 Commentary
The verse declares that the steadfast love of the Lord has not failed, and His compassions have not ended. Despite the nation's deep sin and the resulting devastation described throughout Lamentations, Jeremiah anchors his hope not in circumstances but in the unchanging nature of God. The "lovingkindness" (checed) speaks of God's loyal, covenantal commitment, a steadfast love that is the foundation of His relationship with His people. This love is so powerful that it prevents utter destruction. Furthermore, His "mercies" (rachamê) are continually available, like fresh water from an ever-flowing spring. They are "new every morning," meaning they are available for each day's needs, a testament to God's unfailing grace and compassionate heart, even when dealing with human failings. This is not a passive feeling but an active provision of support and renewal for those in distress, stemming from the deepest parts of God's being, akin to a mother's care for her child.