Lamentations 3:20 kjv
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
Lamentations 3:20 nkjv
My soul still remembers And sinks within me.
Lamentations 3:20 niv
I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.
Lamentations 3:20 esv
My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me.
Lamentations 3:20 nlt
I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.
Lamentations 3 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lam 3:18 | And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD. | Foundation for despair |
| Ps 42:11 | Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? | Parallel experience of soul distress |
| Ps 131:2 | Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. | Contrast of inner peace |
| Lam 3:19 | Remember, O LORD, my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. | Petition based on suffering |
| Job 3:3 | Blessed be the day wherein I was born... | Lamenting one's birth |
| Ps 51:17 | The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. | God's acceptance of humility |
| Is 57:15 | For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit... | God's dwelling with the humble |
| Matt 5:5 | Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. | Beatitude echoing humility's reward |
| Matt 11:29 | Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. | Jesus' model of humility |
| 1 Pet 5:5 | Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elders. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. | Call to humility with God's favor |
| Lam 3:21 | This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. | Turning point after remembrance |
| Ps 77:11 | I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. | Remembering God's acts brings hope |
| Deut 32:7 | Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will show thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. | Historical remembrance |
| Jer 15:16 | Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the exceeding joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD of hosts. | Finding sustenance in God's word |
| Hab 3:2 | O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make it known; in mercy remember thy work. | Cry for revival and remembrance |
| Ps 119:50 | This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. | God's word as comfort and life |
| Prov 15:33 | The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility. | Humility preceding honor |
| Job 40:4 | Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. | Self-abasement before God |
| Ps 88:9 | Mine eye continueth in misery, O LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee. | Persistent suffering and calling |
| Lam 3:22 | It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. | Reason for hope: God's mercies |
| Lam 3:1 | I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. | Poet's personal affliction |
| 2 Cor 4:8-9 | We are troubled on every side, yet not perplexed; we are perplexed but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. | Parallel of affliction and resilience |
Lamentations 3 verses
Lamentations 3 20 Meaning
My soul still remembers and lies prostrate within me. This verse speaks of a deep, ingrained remembrance and a profound sense of humility or downfall experienced by the one lamenting.
Lamentations 3 20 Context
Lamentations chapter 3 records the deep sorrow and personal anguish of the prophet Jeremiah as he contemplates the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of his people. The poet describes his personal experience of affliction under God's wrath. This verse follows a series of lamentations where he expresses feelings of abandonment, despair, and hopelessness. However, it serves as a pivotal point in the chapter, as the prophet then shifts from his immediate despair to recalling God's enduring mercies and the hope that is found in Him. The verse itself captures the internal state of deep depression and self-abasement resulting from the overwhelming circumstances.
Lamentations 3 20 Word Analysis
- my soul: (Hebrew: נַפְשִׁי, naphshiy) - Refers to the whole inner person, their being, life, appetite, and emotional center. It highlights the depth of the lament reaching into the very essence of the poet.
- still: (Hebrew: עוֹד, ‘od) - Indicates continuation, again, or yet. It suggests that this remembrance and state of being are ongoing.
- remembers: (Hebrew: זָכְרָה, zakhráh) - From the root זכר (zakhar), meaning to remember, recall, or bear in mind. Here, it's a vivid recollection, an active retention of something significant, in this case, the preceding sorrows.
- and lies prostrate / bowed down: (Hebrew: וְתִשְׁתַּחֵוּ, wə-tish-ta-khêv or related forms suggesting a low state) - This word often implies bowing down in worship or in submission. However, in this context of Lamentations and the surrounding verses of despair, it signifies a posture of utter defeat, humiliation, or being crushed. It is not voluntary submission to God but an imposed condition of brokenness and shame. The sense is that of being low, pressed down, utterly humbled.
- within me: (Hebrew: בְּקִרְבִּי, bə-qir-bî) - Emphasizes the internal nature of this remembrance and humbled state. It is not an external affliction only but a deep internal experience.
Words-Group Analysis
- "my soul still remembers": This phrase underscores a persistent, inward-turning recollection of pain and hardship. It's an ongoing burden on the spirit.
- "and lies prostrate within me": This second part of the verse deepens the portrait of internal suffering. The "soul" that remembers is also the "soul" that is brought low, crushed, and made humble by the weight of affliction, creating a profound sense of being overwhelmed from within.
Lamentations 3 20 Bonus Section
The Hebrew verb "zakhar" (remembers) can also mean "to register" or "to record." In this sense, the soul "remembers" by actively holding onto the experience, perhaps almost as a record of its suffering. The idea of "lying prostrate" or "bowed down" connects with other biblical images of grief and repentance, but here it reflects a state of being crushed by circumstances rather than solely a posture of humility before God, although that element can be a response. This verse highlights the psychological and spiritual weight of trauma, where the past afflictions continue to oppress the inner self.
Lamentations 3 20 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the deeply personal and internal impact of national disaster. The prophet is not just recounting external events; he is describing the internal devastation. His soul remembers the past sorrows, and this remembrance presses down on his entire being, causing him to feel utterly humbled, defeated, and perhaps even ashamed before God. This is not the triumphant remembrance of God’s deeds that leads to hope (as in v. 21), but the lingering memory of affliction that can lead to despair. However, this state of profound internal remembrance and humiliation is a prelude to a re-orientation towards God’s character, leading to hope in the following verses. It acknowledges the reality of deep despair while hinting at a path toward restoration through recollecting God's steadfast mercies.