Lamentations 3 42

Lamentations 3:42 kjv

We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.

Lamentations 3:42 nkjv

We have transgressed and rebelled; You have not pardoned.

Lamentations 3:42 niv

"We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven.

Lamentations 3:42 esv

"We have transgressed and rebelled, and you have not forgiven.

Lamentations 3:42 nlt

"We have sinned and rebelled,
and you have not forgiven us.

Lamentations 3 verses

Lamentations 3 42 Meaning

Lamentations 3:42 is a corporate confession and lament, where the suffering people acknowledge their profound sin while lamenting the continued experience of God's judgment, as if His forgiveness has not yet brought them relief. It expresses the severe and lasting consequences of their transgressions against the Lord, suggesting that despite their suffering, the divine wrath persists without evident alleviation.

Lamentations 3 42 Context

Lamentations chapter 3 is a highly structured acrostic poem, forming the theological and emotional core of the book. Verses 1-20 present the individual laments of the "man who has seen affliction," a figure representing the suffering nation of Judah. Verses 21-39 pivot dramatically to a profound statement of hope in God's steadfast love and mercies, which are "new every morning" (v. 22-23). This is where the profound trust in God's ultimate goodness is asserted despite overwhelming suffering. However, verse 40 marks a shift back to corporate introspection, urging the people to "examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD." Lamentations 3:42 falls within this section (vv. 40-42) of corporate examination, where the confession of sin ("We have transgressed and rebelled") serves as a preamble to further lament about God's perceived lack of present forgiveness and continued judgment. The historical context is the immediate aftermath of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 BC, a cataclysmic event understood as divine judgment for generations of covenant breaking.

Lamentations 3 42 Word analysis

• We: The first-person plural pronoun "we" (Hebrew: 'ănaḥnû) signifies a corporate identity. This is not an individual's confession but a lament on behalf of the entire community, representing Judah and Jerusalem. It underscores the collective guilt and shared experience of judgment.

• have transgressed: From the Hebrew verb pāšaʿ (פָּשַׁע). This term describes a deliberate rebellion, an open revolt against authority, specifically breaking a covenant. It implies more than mere error; it is a wilful defiance of God's law and a breach of trust in the relationship with Him. It highlights a conscious, audacious act against a superior.

• and rebelled: From the Hebrew verb mārad (מָרַד). This verb similarly means to rebel, revolt, or be refractory. When paired with pāšaʿ, it intensifies the meaning, emphasizing stubborn resistance and defiant disobedience. It points to a deep-seated antagonism toward divine authority, suggesting an unyielding posture of opposition.

• you have not forgiven: This phrase (Hebrew: lōʾ sālakhtā - לֹא סָלַחְתָּ) uses the past tense of the verb sālaḥ (סָלַח), which means "to forgive" or "to pardon." The blunt declaration "you have not forgiven" reflects the current, painful reality of the suffering community. It's a statement of perceived divine inaction in granting immediate relief from their distress, which is a hallmark of actual forgiveness in the lament context (i.e., removal of punishment). It does not deny God's ability to forgive but articulates their desperate, current experience where forgiveness has not manifested in deliverance from suffering. This contrasts with God's inherent nature of forgiveness seen elsewhere (e.g., Ex 34:6-7, Ps 103:3). This stark statement implies the overwhelming weight of their unatoned sin and continued judgment.

• "We have transgressed and rebelled": This pairing is a hendiadys or a use of synonymous parallelism, amplifying the depth and seriousness of Judah's sin. It covers both covenant breaking (pasha') and active, persistent defiance (marad). It represents the accumulated unfaithfulness that led to their catastrophic downfall. It points to both a historical pattern of sin and their current recognition of it as the just cause of their affliction.

• "have transgressed and rebelled; you have not forgiven": This two-part statement juxtaposes human sinfulness with the experience of ongoing divine judgment. It highlights the direct consequence of sin: separation from God's full favor and continued punitive action. The people acknowledge their responsibility, yet their cry indicates a longing for relief that has not materialized. The 'not forgiven' is not an assertion against God's nature, but a raw cry of their continued experience of wrath, showing the gravity and breadth of their transgressions, requiring extensive atonement or judgment.

Lamentations 3 42 Bonus section

• The raw honesty of "you have not forgiven" reveals a spiritual anguish where the weight of God's justice momentarily overshadows the theological truth of His abundant mercy. This unflinching portrayal of spiritual pain is characteristic of biblical laments, which allow for profound expressions of perceived abandonment while still implicitly acknowledging God's sovereignty.
• This verse provides a counterpoint to many Psalms where confession leads immediately to felt forgiveness. Here, the depth of rebellion means the forgiveness is yet to be fully experienced in deliverance from hardship, teaching that while God is always ready to forgive true repentance, the timing and full cessation of disciplinary consequences remain in His sovereign hand.
• The emphasis on "transgressed" (pasha') and "rebelled" (marad) underscores the covenantal framework. Their sin was not merely a mistake but a breach of their solemn vows and a defiance of the divine King. This heightened understanding of sin illuminates why the consequences were so dire.

Lamentations 3 42 Commentary

Lamentations 3:42 represents a critical tension within the suffering of God's people. After proclaiming hope in God's never-failing mercies (vv. 22-23), the people return to a grim reality. Their confession "we have transgressed and rebelled" is not a plea for pardon but a painful acknowledgement of the just cause of their suffering. It attributes the destruction and ongoing affliction not to divine caprice, but to their profound, willful departure from God's covenant. The subsequent declaration, "you have not forgiven," expresses their immediate, felt reality. It's not a theological indictment of God's forgiving character but a desperate articulation of a people still submerged in the consequences of their sin. The severe judgment has not lifted; the perceived barrier between them and God remains, underscoring that for some sins, or for repentance that is not yet complete in God's eyes, consequences endure. This verse models authentic lament – holding simultaneously the truth of human guilt and the painful question of God's current action.