Lamentations 3:26

KJV

[It is] good that [a man] should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

KJV (with Strong's)

It is good {H2896} that a man should both hope {H3175}{H2342} and quietly wait {H1748} for the salvation {H8668} of the LORD {H3068}.

Complete Jewish Bible

It is good to wait patiently for the saving help of ADONAI.

Berean Standard Bible

It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

American Standard Version

It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Jehovah.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Lamentations 3:26 offers a profound declaration of wisdom and spiritual discipline amidst profound suffering, asserting that it is inherently beneficial for an individual to cultivate both an expectant hope and a tranquil, patient waiting for the ultimate deliverance of the Lord. This verse, situated within a book of deep lament, pivots from expressions of national and personal anguish to a foundational truth about God's enduring faithfulness, providing a timeless beacon for those enduring trials to anchor their trust in divine timing and intervention.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Lamentations 3:26 is nestled within the theological heart of the Book of Lamentations, a series of poetic laments mourning the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Chapter 3, uniquely structured as an acrostic poem with three lines per Hebrew letter, transitions from the prophet's intense personal suffering (e.g., [Lamentations 3:1-18](/lamentations/3-1 "Lamentations 3:1-18 - The Prophet's Anguish")) to a profound confession of God's steadfast love and mercy. Verses like [Lamentations 3:22-23](/lamentations/3-22 "Lamentations 3:22-23 - God's Steadfast Love") ("The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness") precede and set the stage for the instruction in verse 26, demonstrating that the call to hope and wait is not born of naive optimism but a hard-won conviction rooted in the enduring character of God, even in the darkest of times. The verses immediately following, such as [Lamentations 3:27-30](/lamentations/3-27 "Lamentations 3:27-30 - Bearing the Yoke in Youth"), continue to expound on the benefits of humble submission and patient endurance in suffering.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Book of Lamentations directly reflects the traumatic historical event of the Babylonian conquest and the subsequent exile of the people of Judah. Jerusalem, once the glorious city and spiritual center, lay in ruins, its inhabitants either killed, starved, or deported. This was a catastrophic blow to the national identity and religious understanding of Israel, challenging their covenant relationship with Yahweh. In this context of utter devastation, the cultural norms of lament and mourning were deeply ingrained, providing a communal outlet for grief. The "salvation of the LORD" would have been understood not merely as individual deliverance but as national restoration, the re-establishment of the Davidic kingdom, and the return from exile. The quiet waiting implied a rejection of frantic human efforts or reliance on foreign alliances, instead advocating for a posture of total dependence on God's sovereign action, a lesson often taught through the history of Israel, as seen in passages like [Isaiah 30:15](/isaiah/30-15 "Isaiah 30:15 - In Quietness and Trust").
* **Key Themes:** This verse is a powerful distillation of several major theological and narrative themes prevalent in Lamentations and the broader prophetic tradition. It highlights the theme of **Hope in Despair**, emphasizing that even when circumstances are dire, a confident expectation in God's future action is both possible and beneficial. It underscores **Patient Endurance** as a virtue, suggesting that true faith involves not just belief but also the willingness to wait for God's perfect timing, a concept echoed in [Psalm 37:7](/psalms/37-7 "Psalm 37:7 - Rest in the Lord and Wait Patiently"). The phrase "quietly wait" speaks to the theme of **Trust and Stillness before God**, a profound inner peace that transcends external chaos, aligning with the wisdom found in [Psalm 46:10](/psalms/46-10 "Psalm 46:10 - Be Still and Know God"). Fundamentally, the verse points to **God's Sovereignty and Deliverance**, affirming that ultimate rescue and restoration come from the Lord alone, reinforcing the understanding of Yahweh as the ultimate source of salvation for His people, a truth central to the entire biblical narrative from [Exodus 14:13](/exodus/14-13 "Exodus 14:13 - Stand Firm and See the Salvation of the Lord") to the New Testament.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **good (Hebrew, _ṭôwb'_):** From H2896, this word signifies "good" in its broadest sense, encompassing beauty, favor, well-being, pleasure, and prosperity. Here, it asserts that the posture of hoping and quietly waiting is not merely advisable but inherently beneficial, wise, and conducive to spiritual and even practical well-being. It implies a moral and existential rightness to this disposition.
* **hope (Hebrew, _yâchîyl'_):** From H3175, this term denotes an expectant waiting, a confident anticipation. It is not a passive wish but an active stretching forth of the soul with longing, rooted in a conviction about the object of hope. In this context, it is a confident looking forward to God's intervention and restoration.
* **quietly wait (Hebrew, _dûwmâm'_):** From H1748, meaning "still," "silent," or "at rest." This adverbial form suggests a tranquil, unagitated, and patient waiting. It implies a cessation of frantic striving, anxious murmuring, or self-reliant efforts, fostering an inner stillness and peaceful reliance on God's timing and method of deliverance. It is a posture of humble submission and trust.
* **salvation (Hebrew, _tᵉshûwʻâh'_):** From H8668, this term is broad, encompassing rescue, deliverance, help, safety, and victory. It speaks to a comprehensive rescue from any form of distress—physical, national, or spiritual. Here, it refers to God's complete and ultimate act of liberation and restoration for His people.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"It is good that a man should both hope":** This opening clause establishes the inherent benefit and wisdom of cultivating hope. The "good" is not merely a subjective feeling but an objective truth about the right and beneficial way to live, especially in times of distress. This hope is an active, confident expectation, a forward-looking trust.
* **"and quietly wait":** This phrase describes the manner of waiting—not with agitation or impatience, but with inner tranquility and stillness. It implies a peaceful reliance on God's perfect timing and method, refraining from anxious striving or attempting to force an outcome. It is a posture of humble, trusting submission.
* **"for the salvation of the LORD.":** This specifies the object of both the hope and the quiet waiting. The ultimate source of deliverance, rescue, and restoration is Yahweh Himself. This emphasizes divine agency; human hope and quiet waiting are directed towards God's sovereign and saving action, acknowledging that true help comes from Him alone.

#### Literary Devices
Lamentations 3:26 employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is **Didactic Tone**, as the verse functions as an instruction or a statement of wisdom, guiding the reader on the proper response to suffering. There is also a subtle **Parallelism** in the pairing of "hope" and "quietly wait," two actions that, while distinct, are complementary and together describe a holistic posture of faith. The phrase "salvation of the LORD" serves as **Metonymy**, where "salvation" stands for the comprehensive act of God's deliverance and restoration. Furthermore, the entire verse acts as a **Chiasm** within the broader chapter, as it reflects the turning point from lament to hope, mirroring the structure of the acrostic poem and the theological shift from despair to faith in God's enduring mercies. The simplicity and directness of the language contribute to its **Aphoristic** quality, making it a memorable and easily applicable truth.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Lamentations 3:26 stands as a powerful testament to the enduring biblical themes of divine sovereignty, human dependence, and the nature of true faith. It teaches that even in the face of utter devastation and the apparent absence of God's immediate intervention, the appropriate response is not despair or frantic self-reliance, but a confident, patient, and tranquil waiting for God's promised deliverance. This posture acknowledges God's perfect timing and His ultimate control over all circumstances, reinforcing the truth that His character—His steadfast love and faithfulness—remains unchanged despite human suffering. It is a call to align one's inner state with the reality of God's unchanging nature, finding peace in His ultimate plan for salvation and restoration.

* [Psalm 27:14](/psalms/27-14 "Wait for the LORD")
* [Isaiah 40:31](/isaiah/40-31 "Those Who Wait for the LORD")
* [Romans 8:25](/romans/8-25 "Hope for What We Do Not See")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Lamentations 3:26 offers profound comfort and practical guidance for believers navigating the complexities and trials of contemporary life. In a world that often demands instant gratification and promotes frantic striving, this verse calls us to a counter-cultural posture of patient endurance and quiet trust. It reminds us that true strength is found not in our ability to control or manipulate circumstances, but in our willingness to surrender them to God's sovereign hand and to wait for His perfect timing. This "quiet waiting" is not passive resignation but an active, spiritual discipline—a deliberate choice to cultivate inner peace amidst external chaos, to fix our hope on God's character rather than fleeting circumstances, and to believe that His deliverance will come, even if it tarries. It encourages us to release anxiety, knowing that our ultimate salvation and well-being are secured in the Lord.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life are you currently struggling to "hope" or "quietly wait" for the Lord's salvation?**
* **What does "quietly wait" practically look like in your daily life when facing difficult circumstances? How can you cultivate more inner stillness?**
* **How does understanding God's character (His steadfast love and faithfulness, as mentioned in Lamentations 3:22-23) strengthen your ability to hope and wait?**
* **What anxieties or desires do you need to surrender to the Lord in order to truly wait for His salvation?**

### FAQ
**What does "quietly wait" truly mean in the context of this verse?**

Answer: "Quietly wait" (Hebrew: _dûwmâm_) signifies a posture of inner stillness, tranquility, and patient reliance on God. It is not a passive or apathetic waiting, but an active trust that refrains from frantic effort, anxious striving, or murmuring. It implies a cessation of self-reliant activity and a humble submission to God's timing and method of deliverance. It's about finding peace in the midst of uncertainty, knowing that God is sovereign and will act in His perfect time, as seen in [Psalm 46:10](/psalms/46-10 "Psalm 46:10 - Be Still, and Know That I Am God"). This quietness is an internal state of soul, a confident rest in the Lord, even when external circumstances are tumultuous.

**Why is this verse, which speaks of hope, found in the Book of Lamentations, a book of sorrow?**

Answer: This verse is strategically placed in Lamentations 3, which is often considered the theological turning point of the book. While Lamentations is indeed a book of profound grief and sorrow over the destruction of Jerusalem, it is not without hope. Chapter 3, in particular, moves from deep personal and national anguish to a renewed confession of God's enduring character, specifically His steadfast love and mercies ([Lamentations 3:22-23](/lamentations/3-22 "Lamentations 3:22-23 - God's Steadfast Love")). Therefore, Lamentations 3:26 serves as a beacon of hard-won hope, demonstrating that even in the darkest valleys of suffering, faith in God's ultimate deliverance is not only possible but "good." It shows that genuine hope is often forged in the crucible of despair, making it a more profound and resilient trust in God's sovereign plan.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Lamentations 3:26 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "salvation of the LORD" that the prophet awaited in the midst of national catastrophe is fully realized in Christ, who is Himself the embodiment of God's deliverance. His first advent, though not of political or military might, brought spiritual salvation, taking away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")). His life exemplified the very posture of "hoping and quietly waiting" for the Father's will, even unto death on the cross ([Philippians 2:8](/philippians/2-8 "Philippians 2:8 - Obedient to Death")). For believers, the call to hope and quietly wait is now directed towards Christ's promised return and the consummation of His kingdom ([Titus 2:13](/titus/2-13 "Titus 2:13 - Waiting for Our Blessed Hope")). We wait for the full manifestation of the "salvation" He has already secured—the resurrection of the body, the new heavens and new earth, and the eternal presence of God ([Revelation 21:1-4](/revelation/21-1 "Revelation 21:1-4 - New Heaven and New Earth")). In Christ, our hope is not a vague expectation but a certainty grounded in His finished work and His triumphant resurrection, empowering us to wait patiently and quietly, knowing that our ultimate deliverance is guaranteed by the faithful Lord Himself ([Romans 8:24-25](/romans/8-24 "Romans 8:24-25 - Hope in What We Do Not See")).

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

Psalms 37:7

¶ Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

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 130:5

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

Genesis 49:18

I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

Hebrews 10:35

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

Hebrews 3:14

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

Isaiah 30:15

For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.