God & Savior

Lamentations 3:20-24

20Surely my soul remembers and is humbled within me. 21Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. 23They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! 24“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
Lamentations 3:20-24
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Study notes

Verse 22

Because of the Lord's steadfast love we are not consumed, for His compassion never fails.

Explanation

Lamentations grieves the fall of Jerusalem. In chapter 3, after describing deep suffering (3:1-20), the writer remembers God's character (3:21) and finds hope.

Original language
  • חַֽסְדֵ֤י (chas.Dei): kindness
    Hebrew · Noun, masculine, plural, construct · Strong's H2617A · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Covenant loyalty: God's steadfast, faithful love. The BSB often translates it "loving devotion". Here plural: His acts of loyal love.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Lamentations 3:22, word 1

  • תָ֔מְנוּ (Ta.me.nu): to finish
    Hebrew · Verb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, plural · Strong's H8552 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    We have come to an end.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Lamentations 3:22, word 5

  • כָל֖וּ (kha.Lu): finish
    Hebrew · Verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural · Strong's H3615G · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    They come to an end.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Lamentations 3:22, word 8

  • רַחֲמָֽיו (ra.cha.Mav): compassion
    Hebrew · Noun, masculine, plural, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · Strong's H7356B · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Compassions, mercies.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Lamentations 3:22, word 9

Cross-references
  • Lamentations 3:21 · Surrounding passage

    Yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope.

  • Malachi 3:6 · Same theme

    I the LORD do not change; therefore you are not consumed.

  • Psalm 103:8 · Same theme

    Compassionate and gracious.

Sources

Verse 23

God's mercies are new every morning; great is His faithfulness.

Explanation

Each day brings fresh mercy from God. His faithfulness is great, even in the middle of loss.

Original language
  • חֲדָשִׁים֙ (cha.da.Shim): new
    Hebrew · Adjective, masculine, plural, absolute · Strong's H2319H · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    New.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Lamentations 3:23, word 1

  • לַבְּקָרִ֔ים (la.be.ka.Rim): morning
    Hebrew · Preposition with article + Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · Strong's H1242 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Mornings.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Lamentations 3:23, word 2

  • רַבָּ֖ה (ra.Bah): many
    Hebrew · Adjective, feminine, singular, absolute · Strong's H7227A · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Great.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Lamentations 3:23, word 3

  • אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ ('e.mu.na.Te.kha): faithfulness
    Hebrew · Noun, feminine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular · Strong's H0530 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Faithfulness.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Lamentations 3:23, word 4

Cross-references
  • Lamentations 3:22 · Surrounding passage

    His mercies never fail.

  • Psalm 36:5 · Same theme

    Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

  • Psalm 143:8 · Same theme

    Let me hear Your loving devotion in the morning.

Sources

Original language and places

Reference data from open datasets, shown as published by their sources. Word-by-word English is a literal guide, not a translation.

Verse 20

Original language (Hebrew)

זָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃

  1. זָכ֣וֹרza.Khor“continually <remember>”
    Verb, qal, infinitive absolute, absolute · from זָכַר · “to remember” · Strong's H2142
  2. תִּזְכּ֔וֹרtiz.Kor“it remembers”
    Verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular · from זָכַר · “to remember” · Strong's H2142
  3. וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַve.ta.shi.ach“so it may bow down”
    Conjunction + Verb, qal, 3rd person, feminine, singular · from שׁוּחַ · “to sink” · Strong's H7743
    Qere: the scribes' reading in the margin
  4. עָלַ֖י'a.Lai“on me”
    Preposition + Suffix, pronominal, 1st person, both genders, singular · from עַל · “upon” · Strong's H5921A
  5. נַפְשִֽׁי׃naf.Shi“self my”
    Noun, feminine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 1st person, both genders, singular · from נֶ֫פֶשׁ · “soul” · Strong's H5315G

Verse 21

Original language (Hebrew)

זֹ֛את אָשִׁ֥יב אֶל־לִבִּ֖י עַל־כֵּ֥ן אוֹחִֽיל׃ ס

  1. זֹ֛אתzot“this”
    Particle, demonstrative · from זֹאת · “this” · Strong's H2063
  2. אָשִׁ֥יב'a.Shiv“I bring back”
    Verb, hiphil, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular · from שׁוּב · “recall” · Strong's H7725N
  3. אֶל־'el-“to”
    Preposition · from אֶל · “to(wards)” · Strong's H0413
  4. לִבִּ֖יli.Bi“heart my”
    Noun, masculine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 1st person, both genders, singular · from לֵב · “heart” · Strong's H3820A
  5. עַל־'al-“there-”
    Preposition · from עַל · “upon” · Strong's H5921A
  6. כֵּ֥ןken“-fore”
    Adverb · from כֵּן · “so” · Strong's H3651C
  7. אוֹחִֽיל׃ ס'o.Chil“I will wait”
    Verb, hiphil, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular · from יָחַל · “hope” · Strong's H3176H

Verse 22

Original language (Hebrew)

חַֽסְדֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ כִּ֣י לֹא־תָ֔מְנוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־כָל֖וּ רַחֲמָֽיו׃

  1. חַֽסְדֵ֤יchas.Dei“[the] covenant loyalti<es> of”
    Noun, masculine, plural, construct · from חֶ֫סֶד · “kindness” · Strong's H2617A
  2. יְהוָה֙Yah.weh“Yahweh”
    Noun, proper name, title · from יהוה · “LORD” · Strong's H3068G
  3. כִּ֣יki“for”
    Particle · from כִּי · “for” · Strong's H3588A
  4. לֹא־lo'-“not”
    Particle, negative · from לֹא · “not” · Strong's H3808
  5. תָ֔מְנוּTa.me.nu“we have met our end”
    Verb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, plural · from תָּמַם · “to finish” · Strong's H8552
  6. כִּ֥יki“for”
    Particle · from כִּי · “for” · Strong's H3588A
  7. לֹא־lo'-“not”
    Particle, negative · from לֹא · “not” · Strong's H3808
  8. כָל֖וּkha.Lu“they come to an end”
    Verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural · from כָּלָה · “finish” · Strong's H3615G
  9. רַחֲמָֽיו׃ra.cha.Mav“compassion<s> his”
    Noun, masculine, plural, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from רַחֲמִים · “compassion” · Strong's H7356B

Verse 23

Original language (Hebrew)

חֲדָשִׁים֙ לַבְּקָרִ֔ים רַבָּ֖ה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃

  1. חֲדָשִׁים֙cha.da.Shim“[they are] new”
    Adjective, masculine, plural, absolute · from חָדָשׁ · “new” · Strong's H2319H
  2. לַבְּקָרִ֔יםla.be.ka.Rim“to the mornings”
    Preposition with article + Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from בֹּ֫קֶר · “morning” · Strong's H1242
  3. רַבָּ֖הra.Bah“[is] great”
    Adjective, feminine, singular, absolute · from רַב · “many” · Strong's H7227A
  4. אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃'e.mu.na.Te.kha“faithfulness your”
    Noun, feminine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular · from אֱמוּנָה · “faithfulness” · Strong's H0530

Verse 24

Original language (Hebrew)

חֶלְקִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אָמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן אוֹחִ֥יל לֽוֹ׃ ס

  1. חֶלְקִ֤יchel.Ki“[is] portion my”
    Noun, masculine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 1st person, both genders, singular · from חֵ֫לֶק · “portion” · Strong's H2506A
  2. יְהוָה֙Yah.weh“Yahweh”
    Noun, proper name, title · from יהוה · “LORD” · Strong's H3068G
  3. אָמְרָ֣ה'a.me.Rah“it has said”
    Verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular · from אָמַר · “to say” · Strong's H0559
  4. נַפְשִׁ֔יnaf.Shi“self my”
    Noun, feminine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 1st person, both genders, singular · from נֶ֫פֶשׁ · “soul” · Strong's H5315G
  5. עַל־'al-“there-”
    Preposition · from עַל · “upon” · Strong's H5921A
  6. כֵּ֖ןken“-fore”
    Adverb · from כֵּן · “so” · Strong's H3651C
  7. אוֹחִ֥יל'o.Chil“I will wait”
    Verb, hiphil, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular · from יָחַל · “hope” · Strong's H3176H
  8. לֽוֹ׃ סlo“for him”
    Preposition + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from Os3m · “him” · Strong's H9033
  • Prepared by the God & Savior team. Not yet reviewed by an editor.
  • Hebrew and Aramaic words: STEP Bible (STEPBible.org), based on work at Tyndale House, Cambridge. CC BY 4.0. Source (version ed476a8)