Read the Bible
KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Lamentations 3:38–41

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
Share
Email linkOpen a new message in your email app
Read chapter
More
Report an issueTell us about a text or study problem

PASSAGE SELECTION

Build from either side

4 selected · 6 available

Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

20 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 38

  1. Isaiah 45:7Rank 1 from verse 38
    Open

    7I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

  2. Amos 3:6Rank 2 from verse 38
    Open

    6Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?

  3. Jeremiah 32:42Rank 3 from verse 38
    Open

    42For thus saith the Lord; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.

  4. Job 2:10Rank 4 from verse 38
    Open

    10But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

  5. Psalms 75:7Rank 5 from verse 38
    Open

    7But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

From verse 39

  1. Micah 7:9Rank 1 from verse 39
    Open

    9I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.

  2. Proverbs 19:3Rank 2 from verse 39
    Open

    3The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the Lord.

  3. Genesis 4:5–7Rank 3 from verse 39
    Open

    5But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

    6And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

    7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

  4. Jeremiah 30:15Rank 4 from verse 39
    Open

    15Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.

  5. 2 Kings 3:13Rank 5 from verse 39
    Open

    13And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

From verse 40

  1. 2 Corinthians 13:5Rank 1 from verse 40
    Open

    5Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

  2. Psalms 139:23–24Rank 2 from verse 40
    Open

    23Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

    24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

  3. Joel 2:12–13Rank 3 from verse 40
    Open

    12¶ Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

    13And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

  4. Isaiah 55:7Rank 4 from verse 40
    Open

    7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

  5. Psalms 4:4Rank 5 from verse 40
    Open

    4Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

From verse 41

  1. Psalms 25:1Rank 1 from verse 41
    Open

    1UNTO thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

  2. Psalms 28:2Rank 2 from verse 41
    Open

    2Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

  3. Psalms 143:6–8Rank 3 from verse 41
    Open

    6I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

    7Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

    8Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

  4. Psalms 86:4Rank 4 from verse 41
    Open

    4Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

  5. 1 Thessalonians 2:8Rank 5 from verse 41
    Open

    8So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Lamentations 3:38

COMBINED MEANING

out

↗

Outside, away from within, forth, absent, or no longer in a stated condition.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

mouth

↗

Sense 1: The bodily opening used for eating, breathing, and speaking. Sense 2: The opening or entrance of a thing. Sense 3: Speech, utterance, or the agency of speaking.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

most High

↗

A title of God as the supreme ruler, who rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever he will.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

high

↗

Sense 1: Elevated or far above; great in height, stature, or position; aloft. Sense 2: Elevated or chief in rank, office, power, authority, honor, excellence, or importance. Sense 3: Great in degree, intensity, fullness, or advancement; loud or strongly expressed. Sense 4: Proud, haughty, or self-exalting. Sense 5: Difficult, lofty, or beyond reach or understanding. Sense 6: In high way, a principal or public road; in high place, an elevated site, often used for worship or sacrifice.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

evil

↗

Sense 1: Moral wickedness, sin, wrong, or corruption. Sense 2: Harm, misery, calamity, adversity, or punishment.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

good

↗

Sense 1: Right, morally upright, beneficial, pleasing, useful, suitable, sound, favourable, or excellent. Sense 2: A good thing, benefit, welfare, possession, or goods. Sense 3: In ‘make good,’ to repair, repay, fulfil, establish, or prove.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Lamentations 3:39

COMBINED MEANING

wherefore

↗

1. For that reason, or as a conclusion from what precedes; therefore or consequently. 2. For what reason or purpose; why.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

living

↗

Sense 1: Alive or having life. Sense 2: As a noun, one's means of support or possessions.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

man

↗

1. A human being or person. 2. Mankind collectively. 3. A male person.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sins

↗

Transgressions or offences against God and his law, and the guilt for them.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Lamentations 3:40

COMBINED MEANING

let

↗

Sense 1: To allow or permit; in older KJV use, also to hinder or restrain. Sense 2: To lower or send down.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

us

↗

The first-person plural object pronoun, referring to the speaker together with one or more others as recipients or objects of an action or relation.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

search

↗

Sense 1: To seek carefully, examine, explore, or inquire in order to find or know. Sense 2: A careful examination or inquiry made to find or know.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

try

↗

Sense 1: To examine, test, prove, search, or discern. Sense 2: To refine or prove by fire so that quality is made manifest.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

turn

↗

Sense 1: To change direction, position, condition, purpose, or allegiance; to cause such a change. Sense 2: One’s time or occasion in an order or succession.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

again

↗

Another time; once more; back to a former place or condition; or in return.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Lamentations 3:41

COMBINED MEANING

let

↗

Sense 1: To allow or permit; in older KJV use, also to hinder or restrain. Sense 2: To lower or send down.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

us

↗

The first-person plural object pronoun, referring to the speaker together with one or more others as recipients or objects of an action or relation.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

lift

↗

Sense 1: To raise, bear up, or elevate physically. Sense 2: To direct upward or raise in expression, as the eyes, hands, voice, soul, prayer, or countenance. Sense 3: To exalt, restore, strengthen, or raise in condition or honour. Sense 4: To raise or wield against, as a hand, tool, weapon, or standard. Sense 5: In lift from off, to remove or take away.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

heart

↗

Sense 1: The bodily organ. Sense 2: The inward person: the mind, will, affections, conscience, or moral character.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

hands

↗

Sense 1: The end parts of the arms used for holding and working. Sense 2: Figures of power, possession, agency, or aid.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

READ BEFORE AND AFTER

Surrounding Verses

Nearby Scripture remains separate from the selected passage until you add it.

37¶ Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

38Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

Selected passage

39Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

Selected passage

40Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.

Selected passage

41Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

Selected passage

42We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.

LOCAL PASTOR DIRECTORY

Find a Pastor Near You

Enter a U.S. ZIP code to find nearby pastors committed to holding fast the faithful word.

Your ZIP is processed in this browser from local data. It is not sent to a ZIP lookup service or to a church. ZIP coordinates from GeoNames, licensed under CC BY 4.0.