Lamentations 3:25

KJV

The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.

KJV (with Strong's)

The LORD {H3068} is good {H2896} unto them that wait {H6960} for him, to the soul {H5315} that seeketh {H1875} him.

Complete Jewish Bible

ADONAI is good to those waiting for him, to those who are seeking him out.

Berean Standard Bible

The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.

American Standard Version

Jehovah is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Lamentations 3:25 serves as a profound declaration of divine character and a beacon of hope amidst the prophet's deep despair. It asserts the inherent and unwavering goodness of the LORD, a benevolence particularly experienced and realized by those who cultivate a spiritual posture of active, patient waiting and diligent, earnest seeking after Him. In the crucible of suffering and national catastrophe described throughout the book, this verse pivots towards the enduring faithfulness of God, offering profound solace, direction, and a pathway to renewed hope for the afflicted soul.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Lamentations 3 stands as a unique and pivotal chapter within the book, shifting dramatically from the communal lament and devastation depicted in chapters 1, 2, 4, and 5 to a deeply personal reflection on suffering, yet remarkably, also on hope and God's enduring faithfulness. The preceding verses ([Lamentations 3:1-20](/lamentations/3-1-20 "Lamentations 3:1-20 - The Prophet's Deep Anguish")) vividly portray the prophet's profound personal anguish and the depth of his affliction, describing God's hand as the source of his suffering and the cause of Jerusalem's destruction. However, a crucial turning point occurs around [verse 21](/lamentations/3-21 "Lamentations 3:21 - Recalling God's Steadfast Love"), where the prophet consciously "recalls to mind" God's steadfast love, mercies, and faithfulness. This act of remembering leads directly to the hopeful declaration of [verse 22-24](/lamentations/3-22-24 "Lamentations 3:22-24 - The Lord's Mercies Are New Every Morning"), culminating in the theological anchor of verse 25. Thus, this verse grounds the prophet's renewed hope not in changed circumstances, but in the unchanging, benevolent character of God Himself.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Book of Lamentations is a poetic and emotional response to the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonian army in 586 BC, and the subsequent exile of the Judahite people. This event was not merely a military defeat but a profound theological crisis for Israel. The people grappled with immense physical suffering, loss of national and religious identity, and spiritual disorientation, as it seemed to contradict God's covenant promises to protect His chosen city and people. In this context, the very idea of God's "goodness" was intensely challenged by their lived reality of desolation. Culturally, a conquered people's god was often perceived as having been defeated; Lamentations, however, courageously reinterprets these events through the lens of divine judgment for sin, but crucially, also through the lens of divine faithfulness, urging a return to seeking the LORD as the only source of true hope and restoration.
* **Key Themes:** Lamentations 3:25 contributes significantly to several overarching themes found within the book and the broader biblical narrative. It highlights the theme of **Divine Sovereignty** by acknowledging God's ultimate control over both judgment and the potential for restoration. Crucially, it introduces and reinforces the theme of **Hope in Despair**, demonstrating that even in the deepest valleys of suffering and national ruin, a true and lasting hope can be found by focusing on God's unchanging character rather than fleeting, dire circumstances. The verse also powerfully underscores the theme of **Active Faith and Pursuit of God**, emphasizing that God's goodness is not passively received but actively engaged with through a posture of patient waiting and diligent seeking. This aligns with the broader biblical call for a personal and communal response to God's covenant, as seen in passages like the command to "seek the LORD your God, and you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul" found in [Deuteronomy 4:29](/deuteronomy/4-29 "Deuteronomy 4:29 - Seeking God with All Your Heart") and the exhortation to "seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!" in [Psalm 105:4](/psalms/105-4 "Psalm 105:4 - Seek the LORD and His Strength").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **good (Hebrew, _ṭôwb'_):** This term, derived from H2896, encompasses a wide spectrum of positive attributes, signifying not merely moral rectitude but also pleasantness, beauty, prosperity, and kindness. In the context of the LORD (H3068, _Yᵉhôvâh_), it speaks to His inherent nature as benevolent, beneficial, and the ultimate source of all that is delightful and advantageous. His goodness is foundational, unwavering, and the wellspring of all blessings and welfare.
* **wait (Hebrew, _qâvâh'_):** From H6960, this word implies far more than passive idleness. It denotes an active, expectant hope, often involving patient endurance and a "binding together" of one's trust and anticipation to the object of waiting. It suggests a confident looking forward, anticipating God's intervention and faithfulness, even when circumstances seem bleak or delayed. It is a posture of hopeful reliance, a tarrying that is rooted in conviction.
* **seeketh (Hebrew, _dârash'_):** This term, from H1875, denotes a diligent, earnest, and often persistent search or inquiry. It implies a deep desire to find, pursue, or even worship. It is not a casual glance but a committed pursuit of God's presence, will, and character, often involving prayer, study, and obedience. It can also imply an inquiry or a treading towards, indicating a deliberate movement toward God.
* **soul (Hebrew, _nephesh'_):** From H5315, this word refers to the vital essence of a living being, encompassing the entire person—their inner being, life, desires, and self. In this context, "the soul that seeketh him" emphasizes the holistic, intrinsic, and deeply personal nature of this pursuit of God, involving one's deepest affections and will.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him":** This clause establishes the fundamental character of God as inherently benevolent and beneficial, irrespective of external circumstances. It then specifies that this intrinsic goodness is particularly experienced and appropriated by those who adopt a posture of patient, hopeful expectation. This "waiting" is not passive resignation but an active, confident reliance on God's timing and faithfulness, fixing one's trust and anticipation upon Him, especially in times of distress or delay.
* **"to the soul [that] seeketh him":** This second clause reinforces and expands upon the first, defining the recipient of God's goodness as the "soul" (_nephesh_), referring to the whole person—their inner being, life, and desires. This soul is characterized by an active, diligent, and earnest pursuit of God, demonstrating a deep desire for His presence, guidance, and favor. This seeking implies a deliberate, intentional effort to know God, understand His ways, and align one's life with His will, demonstrating a proactive engagement with the divine.

#### Literary Devices
Lamentations 3:25 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message of hope. **Parallelism** is prominently featured in the two clauses, where "them that wait for him" is paralleled by "the soul that seeketh him," and the implicit "goodness" of the LORD is the shared benefit. This synonymous or complementary parallelism reinforces the idea that waiting and seeking are two interconnected facets of the same posture of active faith. The use of **Personification** is evident in the phrase "the soul that seeketh him," attributing the action of seeking to the "soul" (_nephesh_), which represents the entire inner being or person. This emphasizes the holistic and deeply personal nature of this spiritual pursuit. Furthermore, the verse functions as a powerful **Antithesis** to the preceding verses of profound lament and despair within Lamentations 3, serving as a critical turning point from sorrow to hope. It contrasts the overwhelming suffering and divine judgment with the enduring, accessible goodness of God, thereby providing a beacon of light and a theological anchor in the midst of profound darkness.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Lamentations 3:25 is a profound theological statement that anchors hope in the unchanging character of God amidst the most dire circumstances. It teaches that God's goodness is not contingent upon our comfort, prosperity, or immediate understanding of His ways, but is an intrinsic aspect of His being. This inherent goodness is revealed and profoundly experienced by those who actively orient their lives towards Him. This active orientation involves both patient endurance—trusting God's timing and wisdom—and diligent pursuit—seeking His presence, will, and character. The verse suggests that a deep, experiential knowledge of God's benevolence is intrinsically tied to a responsive, engaged faith. It reminds us that even when God's hand feels heavy in judgment or discipline, His underlying nature remains good, and He is ever-accessible to those who genuinely seek Him with their whole being.

* [Psalm 37:34](/psalms/37-34 "Psalm 37:34 - Wait on the LORD and Keep His Way")
* [Isaiah 40:31](/isaiah/40-31 "Isaiah 40:31 - Those Who Wait on the LORD Shall Renew Their Strength")
* [Hebrews 11:6](/hebrews/11-6 "Hebrews 11:6 - God Rewards Those Who Diligently Seek Him")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Lamentations 3:25 offers a timeless and profoundly relevant truth for every season of life, particularly those marked by difficulty, uncertainty, or prolonged suffering. It challenges us to reconsider our posture when faced with adversity. Instead of succumbing to despair, questioning God's character, or passively waiting for circumstances to change, we are called to actively "wait" and "seek" Him. This means cultivating a deep, patient trust in His timing and His sovereign plan, even when we cannot see the way forward or when His answers seem delayed. It also means diligently pursuing a vibrant relationship with Him through consistent prayer, immersive study of His Word, and living in faithful obedience, believing that His inherent goodness will be revealed to those who earnestly desire Him. In a world that often demands instant gratification and quick fixes, the biblical call to "wait" is profoundly counter-cultural, yet it is precisely in this patient endurance and persistent seeking that we discover the profound, sustaining, and transformative goodness of the LORD, which transcends all fleeting circumstances.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what specific areas of your life are you currently called to "wait" on the LORD? What does active waiting look like for you in those situations, beyond passive resignation?**
* **How do you intentionally and diligently "seek" the LORD in your daily life? What spiritual disciplines or practices help you pursue a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him?**
* **How does the inherent goodness of God, as declared in this verse, impact your perspective on current difficulties, unanswered prayers, or periods of spiritual dryness?**

### FAQ
**What does "wait for him" truly mean in this context?**

Answer: In Lamentations 3:25, "wait for him" (Hebrew: *qâvâh*) means much more than passive idleness or simply doing nothing. It signifies an active, hopeful expectation and patient endurance. It implies fixing one's trust and anticipation solely on the LORD, believing in His faithfulness, His sovereign timing, and His ultimate benevolent purpose, even when circumstances are dire or His intervention seems delayed. It's a posture of confident reliance, a binding of one's soul to God's promises and character, rather than to immediate gratification or visible solutions. This deep trust is often forged in the crucible of suffering, as profoundly illustrated throughout the prophet's experience in [Lamentations 3](/lamentations/3 "Lamentations 3 - The Lord's Faithfulness").

**How does "the soul that seeketh him" relate to the idea of God's goodness?**

Answer: "The soul that seeketh him" (Hebrew: *dârash*) refers to the whole person—their inner being, desires, and life—engaged in a diligent, earnest, and often persistent pursuit of God. This active seeking is the human response that positions an individual to experientially realize God's inherent goodness. While God is intrinsically good to all, His goodness is profoundly and personally experienced by those who actively pursue a relationship with Him. This seeking is not a means to earn God's favor, but a posture of faith that aligns the individual with God's character and will, enabling them to receive and recognize the blessings of His presence and provision. It is a fundamental principle in Scripture that God reveals Himself to those who earnestly draw near, as promised in [James 4:8](/james/4-8 "James 4:8 - Draw Near to God and He Will Draw Near to You").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Lamentations 3:25 finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus, who is the perfect revelation of God's goodness and the one through whom we are empowered to truly wait for and seek God. The "goodness" of the LORD, so desperately sought in Lamentations, is most fully and tangibly displayed in Christ, who perfectly embodied divine love, mercy, and self-sacrifice, becoming the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"). Through His atoning death and glorious resurrection, Jesus became the ultimate object of our waiting and the very means by which we can "seek" God. We now wait for His glorious return and the full establishment of His kingdom, a hope that the author of Hebrews declares is "a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul" ([Hebrews 6:19](/hebrews/6-19 "Hebrews 6:19 - Hope as an Anchor of the Soul")). Furthermore, to "seek" God in the New Covenant era means to seek Christ, for He Himself declared, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me" ([John 14:6](/john/14-6 "John 14:6 - Jesus is the Way, Truth, and Life")). In Christ, God's promise of goodness is not merely a theological concept but a living, accessible reality, fulfilling the deepest longings of the soul that truly seeks God.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Micah 7:7

¶ Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

Micah 7:8

Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD [shall be] a light unto me.

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.

Psalms 130:5

¶ I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

Psalms 130:6

My soul [waiteth] for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: [I say, more than] they that watch for the morning.

Psalms 37:34

¶ Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see [it].

Psalms 40:1

¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.