Lamentations 3:50 kjv
Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
Lamentations 3:50 nkjv
Till the LORD from heaven Looks down and sees.
Lamentations 3:50 niv
until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees.
Lamentations 3:50 esv
until the LORD from heaven looks down and sees;
Lamentations 3:50 nlt
until the LORD looks down
from heaven and sees.
Lamentations 3 50 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lam 3:50 | until the LORD looks down and sees from heaven. | Direct statement of longing for divine observation |
| Psa 11:4 | The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD's throne is in heaven. | God's sovereignty and presence |
| Psa 33:13 | The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man. | God's attentive gaze upon humanity |
| Psa 102:19 | For he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the LORD looked at the earth. | God's concern for the suffering on earth |
| Psa 14:2 | The LORD looks down from heaven to see if there is anyone who is wise, anyone who seeks God. | Seeking God's intervention through wisdom |
| Psa 130:3 | If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? | Recognition of human sin and need for mercy |
| Isa 63:15 | Look down from heaven and see from your {stronghold} of] holiness and glory. | Plea for God to view from His dwelling |
| Lam 1:11 | See, O LORD, and consider, for I am contemptible. | Similar plea for God to recognize suffering |
| Lam 2:20 | Should priests and prophets be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord? | Appeal to God for justice in a sacred space |
| Jer 14:8 | O hope of Israel, its savior in time of trouble, why do you [[associate with]] sojourners in the land... | Questioning God's presence in times of trouble |
| Acts 2:19 | and [[wonders]] above in the heavens and signs on the earth below... | Heavenly and earthly signs indicating divine action |
| Phil 2:8 | and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | Christ's voluntary descent to earth |
| Rev 4:2 | At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a [[throne]] set in [[heaven]], and [[one]] sitting upon the [[throne]]. | Vision of God on His heavenly throne |
| Rev 11:19 | Then God's [[temple]] in [[heaven]] was opened, and the ark of his [[covenant]] was seen within his temple. | God's temple in heaven connected to covenant |
| Heb 1:3 | [[Who]], being the [[brightness]] of his [[glory]] and the [[exact]] [[imprint]] of his [[nature]], upholding the universe by his word of power... | Christ as the radiance of God's glory |
| 2 Cor 1:3 | Blessed be the [[God]] and [[Father]] of our [[Lord]] [[Jesus]] [[Christ]], the [[Father]] of [[mercies]] and [[God]] of all [[comfort]]... | God as the source of mercy and comfort |
| Eph 1:7 | In him we have [[redemption]] through his [[blood]], the [[forgiveness]] of our [[trespasses]], according to the riches of his [[grace]]... | Redemption and forgiveness through Christ's blood |
| Rom 8:34 | Who is to condemn? [[Christ]] [[Jesus]] is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of [[God]], who indeed is interceding for us. | Christ interceding for believers in heaven |
| 1 Tim 2:5 | For there is one [[God]] and one mediator- the man [[Christ]] [[Jesus]], | Christ as the sole mediator between God and man |
| 1 Pet 3:22 | who has gone into [[heaven]] and is at the right hand of [[God]], with angels, authorities, and powers [[made]] [[subject]] [[to]] [[him]]. | Christ's ascension and reign in heaven |
| John 17:1 | [[Jesus]], [[having]] [[spoken]] [[these]] [[words]], [[lifted]] [[up]] [[his]] [[eyes]] [[to]] [[heaven]], and [[said]], "[[Father]], the [[hour]] [[has]] [[come]]; [[glorify]] [[your]] [[Son]]... | Jesus praying to the Father in heaven |
| John 3:13 | [[No]] [[one]] [[has]] [[ever]] [[ascended]] [[into]] [[heaven]] [[except]] [[he]] [[who]] [[has]] [[descended]] [[from]] [[heaven]], the [[Son]] [[of]] [[Man]]. | Jesus' unique descent and ascent from heaven |
| 1 Kings 8:27 | But will [[God]] [[truly]] [[dwell]] [[with]] [[man]] [[on]] [[earth]]? [[Behold]], [[heaven]] and the [[highest]] [[heaven]] [[cannot]] [[contain]] [[you]], how much less [[this]] [[house]] [[that]] [[I]] [[have]] [[built]]! | God's dwelling place transcending earthly structures |
Lamentations 3 verses
Lamentations 3 50 Meaning
This verse expresses the deep sorrow and anguish of the prophet, longing for relief from his suffering and affliction. It's a cry from the depths of despair, appealing to God's compassion to intervene.
Lamentations 3 50 Context
Lamentations 3:48-51 comes in the midst of the prophet Jeremiah's deep personal anguish and lament over the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of his people. He is recounting the immense pain and sorrow that has befallen them due to their sin and God's judgment. The entire chapter is a profound expression of grief, repentance, and a flicker of hope in God's enduring faithfulness. This specific section, after detailing his personal suffering (vv. 43-47), turns to a desperate plea for God's intervention.
Historically, this chapter reflects the period of the Babylonian exile, a time of immense national trauma for Israel. The prophet's words resonate with the despair of a people scattered and suffering under divine discipline.
Lamentations 3 50 Word Analysis
- עַד (ʿad) - until, as long as.
- Signifies a duration of time, marking a waiting period until a specific event occurs.
- יִרְאֶה (yir’eh) - He will look. (Root: ראה, rā’â - to see, look, behold)
- In this context, it implies not just a casual glance but a careful, attentive observation. It suggests looking down from a position of authority and care.
- The imperfect verb form indicates a future or continuous action, expressing a longing for God to actively perceive their suffering.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) - LORD (the personal name of God).
- The use of God's covenant name emphasizes a relational plea. He is appealing to the God who has a history of dealing with His people.
- וּתְשַׁלֵּם (ūṯšallēm) - and (He) pays/repays/makes whole/completes. (Root: שָׁלַם, šālam - to be complete, be finished, be safe, be whole)
- This verb is crucial. It can mean to "repay" or "render recompense," often in a retributive sense. However, it can also mean "to make complete" or "to bring to fruition." In this context, it carries the nuance of God rendering His judgment or, hopefully, bringing about deliverance and restoration – essentially, completing the course of His dealings with their current plight. It suggests a completion of suffering or a completion of His plan.
- The conjunction 'ו' (waw) connects this action with God looking, implying that God's looking leads to His active engagement and decision.
- מִן (min) - from.
- Indicates the source or origin of His observation.
- מְּרֹומֵי (məromei) - highest parts, from on high. (Related to רָמָה, rāmâ - to be high, lofty)
- Emphasizes God's elevated, sovereign position in heaven. It contrasts His vantage point with their lowliness and suffering on earth.
- שָׁמַיִם (šāmayim) - heavens.
- Refers to the sky or the celestial dwelling place of God, His cosmic abode.
Word-group Analysis:
- "until the LORD looks down and sees": This phrase captures a plea for divine attention. It's not just that God is unaware, but that His deliberate, purposeful observation is earnestly desired. It implies that God’s gaze itself can initiate His intervention.
- "and sees from heaven": The phrase "from heaven" underscores the vast difference in perspective between God and His suffering people. It also highlights the expectation that divine intervention originates from the heavenly realm.
- "and __ and pays/completes": This is the crucial action that the prophet anticipates following God's looking. It is the active working of God in response to His observation. The ambiguity of "pays/completes" is where the hope lies – whether it's payment for their suffering, a completed judgment, or a completed restoration.
Lamentations 3 50 Bonus Section
This verse embodies the principle of "looking to the Lord" in times of trouble, a common theme throughout Scripture (Psalm 34:15, Proverbs 15:3). It shows that even amidst the deepest despair, maintaining faith in God's ability to see and act is paramount. The word "תְשַׁלֵּם" (təšallēm) is particularly significant; while it can imply retribution, in the context of Lamentations, it strongly carries the sense of God completing His purposes, which would ultimately include restoration, as demonstrated by the post-exilic period and God's faithfulness to His covenant. This verse is a prayer that reflects both submission to God's present judgment and expectant hope for His future, complete redemption.
Lamentations 3 50 Commentary
The prophet is in a state of extreme distress, feeling abandoned. Yet, even in this darkness, he clings to the possibility of God's active intervention. He isn't questioning God's existence, but rather His active engagement with their present reality. The cry is for God to look – to truly behold their misery – and then, in His sovereign wisdom and timing, to act, to "pay" or "complete" the situation, presumably with deliverance. It reflects a profound faith in God’s ultimate control and a desperate hope that His looking will result in His acting on their behalf, bringing their suffering to a rightful conclusion, whether through justice or mercy. This echoes the faith of many who, in times of deep trial, turn their eyes upward, believing that God sees and will ultimately bring His purposes to fulfillment.