THE STEADFAST LOVE OF THE LORD

Passage: Lamentations 3:19-39

Key verse: 22

NIV

19 I remember my affliction and my wandering,
    the bitterness(A) and the gall.(B)
20 I well remember them,
    and my soul is downcast(C) within me.(D)
21 Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the Lord’s great love(E) we are not consumed,(F)
    for his compassions never fail.(G)
23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.(H)
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;(I)
    therefore I will wait for him.”

25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;(J)
26 it is good to wait quietly(K)
    for the salvation of the Lord.(L)
27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke
    while he is young.

28 Let him sit alone in silence,(M)
    for the Lord has laid it on him.
29 Let him bury his face in the dust(N)—
    there may yet be hope.(O)
30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,(P)
    and let him be filled with disgrace.(Q)

31 For no one is cast off
    by the Lord forever.(R)
32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
    so great is his unfailing love.(S)
33 For he does not willingly bring affliction
    or grief to anyone.(T)

34 To crush underfoot
    all prisoners in the land,
35 to deny people their rights
    before the Most High,(U)
36 to deprive them of justice—
    would not the Lord see such things?(V)

37 Who can speak and have it happen
    if the Lord has not decreed it?(W)
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
    that both calamities and good things come?(X)
39 Why should the living complain
    when punished for their sins?(Y)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

19 (A)Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
    (B)the wormwood and (C)the gall!
20 My soul continually remembers it
    (D)and is bowed down within me.
21 But this I call to mind,
    and (E)therefore I have hope:

22 (F)The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;[a]
    (G)his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new (H)every morning;
    (I)great is your faithfulness.
24 (J)“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    (K)“therefore I will hope in him.”

25 The Lord is good to those who (L)wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
26 (M)It is good that one should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.
27 (N)It is good for a man that he bear
    the yoke (O)in his youth.

28 Let him (P)sit alone in silence
    when it is laid on him;
29 (Q)let him put his mouth in the dust—
    there may yet be hope;
30 (R)let him give his cheek to the one who strikes,
    and let him be filled with insults.

31 (S)For the Lord will not
    cast off forever,
32 but, though he (T)cause grief, (U)he will have compassion
    (V)according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
33 (W)for he does not afflict from his heart
    or (X)grieve the children of men.

34 To crush underfoot
    all (Y)the prisoners of the earth,
35 (Z)to deny a man justice
    in the presence of the Most High,
36 to subvert a man in his lawsuit,
    (AA)the Lord does not approve.

37 (AB)Who has spoken and it came to pass,
    unless the Lord has commanded it?
38 (AC)Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
    that good and bad come?
39 (AD)Why should a living man complain,
    a man, about the punishment of his sins?

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Footnotes
  1. Lamentations 3:22 Syriac, Targum; Hebrew Because of the steadfast love of the Lord, we are not cut off
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The author remembers and acknowledges his suffering and bitterness (wormwood and gall). He knows he is afflicted in this way because of his grievous sin and the sin of all his people. His soul is weighed down with sorrow. His back is bent from his burden. But despite all this, he still calls to mind the steadfast love of the Lord. His love and mercy to his people never ends. Therefore, he has hope. When we remember the steadfast love of the Lord, we too have hope to overcome all hardships. The author knows that suffering is not his portion. His portion is the Lord. So let us seek the Lord and quietly wait on him.

That the Lord loves steadfastly does not mean he will not punish sin. He does, and he does so severely! But he does not stay angry forever. He causes grief, but he also has great compassion. He punishes in his love for us, in hope that we will repent and turn back to him. God’s love is steadfast for those who repent and seek him.

Prayer: Father, even though we are sinners, you love us with a love no one can ever match. Bless us to reside in the steadfast love of the Lord all our days.

One Word: The love of the Lord never ceases