English Standard Version
Lamentations 3:19
19Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall!
Lamentations 3:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
- New International Version (NIV)I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Remember my affliction and roaming, The wormwood and the gall.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words.
Context of Lamentations 3:19
17my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; 18so I say, "My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord." Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! 20My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. 21But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
Read all of Lamentations 3Lamentations 3:19 word by word
זְכָר־עָנְיִ֥י וּמְרוּדִ֖י לַעֲנָ֥ה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Lamentations 3:19
- Nehemiah 9:32"Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day.
- Job 7:7"Remember that my life is a breath; my eye will never again see good.
- Psalms 89:47Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man!
- Psalms 132:1Remember, O Lord, in David's favor, all the hardships he endured,
- Lamentations 3:5he has besieged and enveloped me with bitterness and tribulation;
- Jeremiah 9:15Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed this people with bitter food, and give them poisonous water to drink.
Commentaries on Lamentations 3:19
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Remembering - Or, as in the margin. It is a prayer to Yahweh. My misery - Or, “my” homelessness (Lamentations 1:7 note).Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19is wormwood and the gall: Wormwood is a plant with a bitter taste. Here, it represents deep emotional pain (Proverbs 5:4; Revelation 8:11). Gall refers to a poisonous plant. If someone eats it, it causes strong physical pain. Because of this, it became a symbol for extreme suffering and distress (Deuteronomy 29:18; Psalm 69:21). The author feels trapped, as if there is no way out of his suffering.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2119-21. This gives the reason why he gave way to the temptation to despair. The Margin, "Remember" does not suit the sense so well. wormwood ... gall--(Jr 9:15).Read the comment
Topics related to Lamentations 3:19
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Lamentations 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries