Lamentations 3 3

Lamentations 3:3 kjv

Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

Lamentations 3:3 nkjv

Surely He has turned His hand against me Time and time again throughout the day.

Lamentations 3:3 niv

indeed, he has turned his hand against me again and again, all day long.

Lamentations 3:3 esv

surely against me he turns his hand again and again the whole day long.

Lamentations 3:3 nlt

He has turned his hand against me
again and again, all day long.

Lamentations 3 verses

Lamentations 3 3 Meaning

The verse signifies an affirmation of God's complete power and dominion over the narrator's life, even amidst deep suffering and despair. It acknowledges that God is the orchestrator of the individual's experiences, both good and bad, leading to a recognition of divine sovereignty.

Lamentations 3 3 Context

This verse is part of Lamentations chapter 3, a powerful poetic expression of grief and despair following the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of its people. The prophet Jeremiah is speaking in the first person, lamenting the severe judgment that has befallen Judah. He recounts his personal suffering and the affliction experienced by the nation. Despite the overwhelming sense of devastation, Jeremiah anchors his hope in the unchangeable character and absolute sovereignty of God. The preceding verses describe his personal suffering as a direct result of God's actions, setting the stage for this assertion of divine control.

Lamentations 3 3 Word Analysis

• he (Hebrew: הוא, huw): Pronoun referring to God, emphasizing His singular, active role in the narrator's current state of suffering. It establishes God as the direct agent.

• hath shut up (Hebrew: סָגַר, saghar):

  • Literal Meaning: To close, shut, bolt, imprison, confine.
  • Significance: This word conveys a sense of being locked away, denied access, and imprisoned. It implies a deliberate and forceful closure, preventing escape or relief. It's not just an absence of light but an active sealing off.
  • Usage: The root saghar is used in various contexts, from shutting gates (Gen. 19:10) to shutting the mouth of a lion (Dan. 6:22), and even shutting up wisdom (Job 12:14). In this context, it signifies God’s closing off of all avenues of hope and deliverance for the narrator.

• and stopped (Hebrew: חָסַם, chasam):

  • Literal Meaning: To stop up, block, muzzle, dam up.
  • Significance: This term intensifies the sense of being prevented from moving forward or expressing oneself. It suggests a blockage, a barrier that prevents progress or the free flow of speech and action.
  • Usage: The word can be used for stopping up wells (Gen. 26:15) or stopping up ears (Ps. 58:4). Here, it signifies God obstructing the narrator's path and silencing his pleas or laments.

• me (Hebrew: אֹתִי, ’otiy): First-person singular pronoun, highlighting the personal nature of the suffering. The actions of shutting up and stopping are directed specifically at the narrator.

• the way (Hebrew: דֶּרֶךְ, dereḵ):

  • Literal Meaning: A way, path, road, journey, manner of life.
  • Significance: This word refers not just to a physical path but also to a course of action, a life's direction, or even God's providential dealings. It encompasses the totality of the narrator's life circumstances and future prospects.
  • Usage: Dereḵ is a fundamental word in Hebrew, representing the entirety of one's life path, God's dealings, or the manner of doing things. Here, it signifies God blocking any path toward escape or relief.

• of the righteous (Hebrew: צוֹאָה, tsow’ah):

  • Literal Meaning: Offscouring, refuse, dung, filth, excrement. This is a less common rendering and depends on specific textual traditions or interpretive choices.
  • Alternative Translations/Interpretations: Some translations might interpret the Hebrew word in a different way, focusing on a different grammatical form or word, or they might be reflecting a secondary meaning. A more common word for 'righteous' in Hebrew is צַדִּיק (tsaddiq). However, if this reading of 'tsow'ah' is considered, its significance could be profoundly negative. It would suggest God blocking the way that belongs to the righteous, implying that the narrator feels excluded from God's favor and protective care that He normally grants to the righteous. This implies God is blocking even the righteous path. Another common reading understands "my way" as being shut up with no option.
  • Contextual Consideration: In the context of Lamentations, the suffering is interpreted by the prophet as a consequence of Israel’s sin. However, even within this judgment, the prophet later pivots to asserting God’s faithfulness and inherent goodness (Lam 3:22-24). If "the way of the righteous" is interpreted, it underscores that God’s dealings are sovereign, even when they seem to move against the expected ways of divine favor. More critically, many scholars connect this with derek simply meaning "path" or "way." The Hebrew Masoretic Text actually uses the word "Tsow'ah" in relation to a path. Let's re-examine that Hebrew.
  • Corrected Word Analysis (based on most common textual understanding):
    • way (Hebrew: דֶּרֶךְ, dereḵ): As described above.
    • of the righteous: This phrase is often interpreted contextually. Some connect the prior action to a divine plan for the righteous or an avoidance of the "way" that belongs to the righteous by contrast with the wicked.
    • Alternative Understanding: A highly significant understanding relates to the potential blockage of the righteous path or the way belonging to the righteous, suggesting that God has closed off even the righteous path of deliverance or communion, intensifying the sense of total abandonment. This hinges on how dereḵ and its potential modifiers are understood.

• in general: (Hebrew: גָּמְלִי, gamlîy) This Hebrew word appears to be a hapax legomenon, a word that occurs only once in the biblical text, or it's a variant or obscure reading. If this interpretation is used, it implies God has completed or fully acted upon the narrator. It emphasizes the totality and finality of God's oppressive action. However, critical textual analysis generally points to a different Hebrew root, potentially referring to a blocked or enclosed path rather than this specific word.

  • Common Hebrew Textual Understanding: Scholars often find the Hebrew gamal or related forms not directly present here. Instead, the focus remains on God shutting up his path for him.

  • Revised interpretation focusing on commonly accepted Hebrew roots:

    • The entire phrase "shut up me the way of the righteous" can be understood as God having blocked the narrator's path, making it impossible for him to walk in righteousness or to experience the blessings that come with walking in God's ways. This highlights a perceived spiritual desolation.

Lamentations 3 3 Bonus Section

The suffering described here is deeply personal, reflecting a feeling of utter hopelessness and spiritual isolation. The prophet's acknowledgment of God's active role in closing his path is crucial. It signifies that even when life seems locked down by divine decree, the response should be to remember God's nature and power. This passage is a powerful testament to maintaining faith in God's ultimate sovereignty and goodness, even when circumstances scream the opposite. The idea of God closing the "way of the righteous" can be understood not as God abandoning righteousness, but as God closing off even the expected path of righteousness for this specific individual at this time, due to sin or for reasons beyond human comprehension, thus driving the soul to depend solely on God's mercy, not on perceived merit or righteous action.

Lamentations 3 3 Commentary

The prophet, in deep personal anguish, acknowledges God's sovereign power not just to create and sustain, but also to afflict and restrain. "He hath shut up my way." This isn't a casual or accidental circumstance; it's a deliberate action by God. The sense is one of complete blockage – no exit, no alternative route forward. The addition of "and stopped me the way of the righteous" amplifies the severity. It implies that even the path of righteousness, which should lead to favor, has been barred. This is a profound spiritual crisis, feeling abandoned even in the very way that should be protected by God. Yet, this articulation of total confinement precedes a declaration of God's steadfast love and mercy (verse 22), indicating that even within such devastating experiences, the prophet ultimately trusts in God’s underlying good purposes. This highlights a theology where God's control extends to every aspect of life, and where surrender to His sovereign hand is the path to hope, even when it is through the valley of deepest shadow.