He hath set me in dark places, as [they that be] dead of old.
He has made me live in darkness, like those who are long dead.
He has made me dwell in darkness like those dead for ages.
He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.
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Psalms 143:3
For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. -
Psalms 88:5
Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand. -
Psalms 88:6
Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. -
Psalms 143:7
¶ Hear 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.
Lamentations 3:6 KJV: "He hath set me in dark places, as [they that be] dead of old."
Context
Lamentations is a book of deep sorrow, primarily attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, mourning the destruction of Jerusalem and the desolation of Judah by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Chapter 3 stands out as a personal lament, often referred to as "the Man who has seen affliction" (Lamentations 3:1). This chapter shifts from communal grief to an intense expression of individual suffering, yet it remarkably transitions to a profound declaration of hope later in the chapter. Verse 6 encapsulates the speaker's overwhelming sense of abandonment and despair, feeling as though God Himself has placed him in an inescapable, death-like state.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Hebrew phrase for "dark places" is machashakkim (מַחֲשַׁכִּים), which denotes deep, impenetrable darkness, often associated with the grave or chaos. It signifies a place of obscurity, gloom, and despair. The KJV's "dead of old" translates methei olam (מֵתֵי עוֹלָם), which literally means "dead of eternity" or "eternally dead." This isn't just about physical death but emphasizes a state of absolute, irreversible cessation of life, like those who have been dead for a very long time and are completely forgotten. It conveys a sense of finality and utter hopelessness.
Practical Application
Lamentations 3:6 resonates with anyone who has experienced profound grief, depression, or a sense of spiritual abandonment. It validates the human experience of feeling utterly lost and forgotten, even by God. While the verse is steeped in despair, it serves as a crucial point of contrast for the hope found later in the chapter. The speaker's ability to articulate such deep pain is a testament to the raw honesty of biblical lament. For believers today, it reminds us that even when we feel God has placed us in the darkest circumstances, His mercies are still new every morning, as highlighted in Lamentations 3:22-23. This verse encourages us to acknowledge our deepest pains before God, knowing that even in the valley of despair, His faithfulness endures.