Lamentations 3:32
in Lamentations 3Even if He causes grief, He will show compassion according to His abundant loving devotion.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.
KJV
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
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This verse in Lamentations 3
Commentary
8 notes on this verseIs it not evident that the Lord Jesus is angry with us when we sin in order that he may convert us through fear of his indignation? His indignation, then, is not the carrying out of vengeance but rather the working out of forgiveness, for these are his words: "If you shall turn and lament, you shall be saved." He waits for our lamentations here, that is, in time, that he may spare us those that shall be eternal. He waits for our tears that he may pour forth his goodness.
This site's exposition
For the Lord will not cast us off forever
on Lamentations 3:31-33
Grief and compassion come from the same hand: “Even if He causes grief, He will show compassion according to His abundant loving devotion”. The Hebrew behind willingly in verse 33 reads literally from His heart: “For He does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of men”.
This site's exposition
He will show compassion
Grief and compassion come from the same hand, and the compassion is measured by abundant loving devotion, the word of 3:22. Ambrose read the anger of the Lord as working toward forgiveness, waiting for tears in time to spare tears in eternity. Thomas Aquinas traced both acts to divine mercy.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
But all those who call their lands by their own names and have wood and hay and stubble in their thoughts; such as these, since they are strangers to difficulties, become aliens from the kingdom of heaven. Had they however known that "tribulation perfects patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope makes not ashamed," they would have exercised themselves, after the example of Paul. He said, "I bring my body into subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
That all sins may be forgiven him who has turned to God with his whole heart... "The Lord will not reject forever; and when he has made low, he will have pity according to the multitude of his mercy. Because he will not bring low from his whole heart, neither will he reject the children of humankind."
The Medieval Church1 voice
Second, divine mercy, in relation to divine piety as to reason, is considered. For, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according "to the abundance of his steadfast love," because, it from such a portion of divine piety (of God the Father) that one …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Therefore the sufferer is thus penitent, thus patient, because he believes that God is gracious and merciful, which is the great inducement both to evangelical repentance and to Christian patience.
But though he cause grief,....
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֣י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | except | H518 → | 1069 times |
| הוֹגָ֔ה | hogah | he has caused grief | H3013 → | 8 times |
| וְרִחַ֖ם | vericham | and he will have compassion | H7355 → | |
| כְּרֹ֥ב | kero | according to [the] greatness of | H7230 → | 149 times |
| חֲסָדָֽיו׃ | chasdov | covenant loyalti<es> his | H2617 → |
כִּ֣יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אִם־except
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
הוֹגָ֔הhe has caused grief
hogahH3013 →8 times
וְרִחַ֖םand he will have compassion
verichamH7355 →
כְּרֹ֥בaccording to [the] greatness of
keroH7230 →149 times
חֲסָדָֽיו׃covenant loyalti<es> his
chasdovH2617 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 30:5For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning.
it leads to
- Isaiah 54:7–8
“For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will bring you back.
- 2 Corinthians 4:17
For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.
- Psalms 126:5–6
Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.
- Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- John 16:20–22
Truly, truly, I tell you, you will weep and wail while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
- Isaiah 54:7–8
Through
Psalms 103:11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.
it leads to
- Psalms 57:10
For Your loving devotion reaches to the heavens, and Your faithfulness to the clouds.
- Luke 1:50
His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
- Psalms 36:5
Your loving devotion, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds.
- Psalms 57:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies17
On this verse
On this chapter
About Lamentations
This page draws on Ambrose of Milan, Concerning Repentance 1.5.22-24; Athanasius of Alexandria, FESTAL LETTERS 13:4; Carl Friedrich Keil, Lamentations; Cyprian, Pseudo-Cyprian Exhortation to Repentance; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Lamentations.