Lamentations 3:51

Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.

Mine eye {H5869} affecteth {H5953} mine heart {H5315} because of all the daughters {H1323} of my city {H5892}.

My eyes make me so upset at the fate of the women in my city.

My eyes bring grief to my soul because of all the daughters of my city.

Mine eye affecteth my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.

Commentary

Context of Lamentations 3:51

Lamentations is a book of profound sorrow, traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, mourning the devastating destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC and the subsequent exile of its people. Chapter 3, often considered the heart of the book, shifts between personal lament and corporate confession, expressing deep anguish while clinging to hope in God's steadfast love. In the verses immediately preceding Lamentations 3:51, the prophet describes his continuous weeping and calling out to God from the depths of despair, acknowledging that God sees his affliction (Lamentations 3:49-50). This particular verse highlights the personal impact of witnessing the widespread suffering.

Meaning and Key Themes

The phrase "Mine eye affecteth mine heart" powerfully conveys a deep, visceral connection between sight and emotion. The Hebrew word for "affecteth" (agav or related forms) implies a strong emotional stirring, here signifying that the prophet's very soul is pierced and grieved by what he sees. It's not merely observation but a profound emotional impact. The cause of this intense grief is "all the daughters of my city," referring to the women and girls of Jerusalem. In ancient warfare, women were particularly vulnerable to immense suffering, including starvation, violence, and dishonor. The prophet's heart is broken by their plight, vividly illustrating:

  • Profound Empathy and Compassion: The prophet feels the pain of his people, especially the most vulnerable, demonstrating genuine sorrow for their collective tragedy. This echoes a divine compassion often seen in scripture (e.g., Judges 10:16).
  • The Weight of Witnessing Suffering: The verse underscores how direct observation of immense human suffering can deeply wound the soul. It's a testament to the emotional toll taken on those who witness catastrophe.
  • Consequences of Sin: While not explicitly stated in this verse, the entire book of Lamentations attributes Jerusalem's destruction and its people's suffering to the nation's turning away from God. The women's suffering is a tragic outcome of Judah's disobedience, serving as a stark reminder of the bitter consequences of sin.

Linguistic Insight

The Hebrew term for "affecteth" (Χ’ΦΈΧ’Φ·Χ‘ - 'agav) in this context is often translated as "to grieve," "to pain," or "to pierce." It signifies a deep, internal wounding of the heart caused by external observation. While 'agav can sometimes relate to desire or longing, here, in the context of lament over Jerusalem's fall, it conveys profound distress and heartache, indicating that the sight of the women's suffering literally sickened the prophet's heart.

Practical Application

Lamentations 3:51 reminds believers of the importance of empathy and compassion for those who suffer, especially the vulnerable. It challenges us to:

  • Open Our Eyes: Be willing to see and acknowledge the pain and suffering around us, rather than turning a blind eye.
  • Allow Our Hearts to Be Affected: Don't become desensitized to human suffering. Let the sight of injustice, poverty, or distress move us to genuine sorrow and action.
  • Respond with Compassion: Like the prophet, our empathy should lead to prayer, intercession, and practical steps to alleviate suffering, reflecting the heart of God who is compassionate and merciful.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated β€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Luke 19:41

    ΒΆ And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

  • Luke 19:44

    And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

  • Lamentations 1:18

    The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

  • Jeremiah 4:19

    ΒΆ My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

  • Jeremiah 4:21

    How long shall I see the standard, [and] hear the sound of the trumpet?

  • Jeremiah 14:18

    If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine! yea, both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they know not.

  • Jeremiah 11:22

    Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine:
← Back