New Living Translation
Lamentations 3:39
39Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins?
Lamentations 3:39 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
- New International Version (NIV)Why should the living complain when punished for their sins?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Why should a living man complain, A man for the punishment of his sins?
Context of Lamentations 3:39
37Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission? 38Does not the Most High send both calamity and good? Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins? 40Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord. 41Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven and say,
Read all of Lamentations 3Lamentations 3:39 word by word
מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן֙ אָדָ֣ם חָ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר עַל־חֲטָאָֽיו׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Lamentations 3:39
- Lamentations 3:22The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.
- Numbers 11:11And Moses said to the Lord, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people?
- Proverbs 19:3People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.
- Isaiah 38:17Yes, this anguish was good for me, for you have rescued me from death and forgiven all my sins.
- Genesis 4:5but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.
- Leviticus 26:41When I have turned their hostility back on them and brought them to the land of their enemies, then at last their stubborn hearts will be humbled, and they will pay for their sins.
- Numbers 16:41But the very next morning the whole community of Israel began muttering again against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the Lord’s people!”
- Numbers 17:12Then the people of Israel said to Moses, “Look, we are doomed! We are dead! We are ruined!
- Joshua 7:6Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothing in dismay, threw dust on their heads, and bowed face down to the ground before the Ark of the Lord until evening.
- 2 Samuel 6:7Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.
- 2 Kings 3:13“Why are you coming to me?” Elisha asked the king of Israel. “Go to the pagan prophets of your father and mother!” But King Joram of Israel said, “No! For it was the Lord who called us three kings here—only to be defeated by the king of Moab!”
- 2 Kings 6:32Elisha was sitting in his house with the elders of Israel when the king sent a messenger to summon him. But before the messenger arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “A murderer has sent a man to cut off my head. When he arrives, shut the door and keep him out. We will soon hear his master’s steps following him.”
- Ezra 9:13“Now we are being punished because of our wickedness and our great guilt. But we have actually been punished far less than we deserve, for you, our God, have allowed some of us to survive as a remnant.
- Job 11:6If only he would tell you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom is not a simple matter. Listen! God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve!
- Isaiah 51:20For your children have fainted and lie in the streets, helpless as antelopes caught in a net. The Lord has poured out his fury; God has rebuked them.
- Jonah 2:3You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. The mighty waters engulfed me; I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.
Commentaries on Lamentations 3:39
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39Wherefore doth a living man complain - He who has his life still lent to him has small cause of complaint. How great soever his affliction may be, he is still alive; therefore, he may seek and find mercy unto eternal life. Of this, death would deprive him; therefore let not a living man complain.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37-39Verses 37-39 Why then does a loving God, who disapproves of suffering when inflicted by man upon man, Himself send sorrow and misery? “Because of sins.” Lamentations 3:37 Literally, “Who is this that spake and it was done, though אדני 'ădonāy commanded it not?” Lamentations 3:39 So long as God spares a man‘s life, why does he complain? The chastisement is really for his good; only let him use it aright, and he will be thankful for it in the end. A man…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 37-41Verses 37-41 While there is life there is hope; and instead of complaining that things are bad, we should encourage ourselves with the hope they will be better. We are sinful men, and what we complain of, is far less than our sins deserve. We should complain to God, and not of him. We are apt, in times of calamity, to reflect on other people's ways, and blame them; but our duty is to search and try our own ways, that we may turn from evil to God. Our…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37-39Some disasters have natural causes (Luke 13:1–5). Bad things happen to both good and bad people (Matthew 5:45). No matter what happens, we should give thanks and not complain (1 Thessalonians 5:18).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 37-3937-39. Who is it that can (as God, Psa 33:9) effect by a word anything, without the will of God?Read the comment
Topics related to Lamentations 3:39
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
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