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Lamentations 3:39

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

Wherefore doth a living {H2416} man {H120} complain {H596}, a man {H1397} for the punishment of his sins {H2399}?

Why should anyone alive complain, even a strong man, about the punishment for his sins?

Why should any mortal man complain, in view of his sins?

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

Commentary

Lamentations 3:39 poses a rhetorical question that challenges the human tendency to complain when experiencing the just consequences of one's own actions. It asks why a person who is still alive should lament or grumble when facing the punishment for their sins.

Context

The Book of Lamentations is a profound expression of grief over the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BC, and the subsequent exile of the Jewish people. While much of the book is a collective lament, Chapter 3 shifts to an individual voice, traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah. This chapter uniquely interweaves deep personal suffering and despair with powerful declarations of hope and faith in God's unfailing mercies. Verse 39 follows a series of verses (Lamentations 3:37-38) affirming God's ultimate control and sovereignty over all events, including affliction and judgment. The question here serves to temper the lament, reminding the suffering individual of their responsibility and God's justice.

Key Themes

  • Acceptance of Divine Justice: The verse implies that if one is alive, even amidst suffering, it is a testament to God's mercy, and complaining about the consequences of one's sins is misplaced. It encourages acknowledging that the suffering is a just outcome for disobedience.
  • Consequences of Sin: It directly links personal suffering to the "punishment of his sins," reinforcing the biblical principle that actions have consequences. This is not arbitrary suffering but a direct result of moral failing.
  • Perspective on Suffering: The rhetorical question challenges the sufferer to adopt a humble perspective. Instead of grumbling, one should reflect on their own culpability and recognize the grace of being alive, which offers an opportunity for repentance and restoration. This contrasts sharply with the Lord's mercies that are new every morning, which are available even to those who have sinned.

Linguistic Insights

The key Hebrew word translated "complain" is אֹונָה ('onah), which carries the sense of murmuring, grumbling, or fretting without just cause. It suggests an unjustified grievance against one's circumstances, particularly when those circumstances are a direct result of one's own actions. The phrase "punishment of his sins" clearly indicates that the suffering is not random or unfair, but a deserved consequence, a form of divine chastisement.

Practical Application

Lamentations 3:39 serves as a potent call to self-reflection and accountability. In our own lives, when we face difficulties or distress, especially those that arise from our own choices and actions, this verse prompts us to:

  • Take Responsibility: Instead of blaming God, others, or circumstances, we are encouraged to honestly assess our role in our suffering.
  • Cultivate Humility: Acknowledge that life itself is a gift, and even deserved consequences are not the ultimate end. There is always room for repentance and a return to God. This echoes the sentiment found in King David's confession of sin in Psalm 51.
  • Seek Repentance, Not Resentment: Rather than grumbling, the appropriate response to the punishment of one's sins is repentance and a turning back to God, trusting in His grace and forgiveness.

The verse reminds us that while God may allow us to experience the consequences of our sins, His ultimate desire is not our destruction but our repentance and restoration, providing hope even in the midst of just discipline.

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 (May 20, 2025) 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 — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Proverbs 19:3 (4 votes)

    ¶ The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.

  • Micah 7:9 (4 votes)

    I 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.

  • Jeremiah 30:15 (3 votes)

    Why 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.

  • Jonah 4:8 (2 votes)

    And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, [It is] better for me to die than to live.

  • Jonah 4:9 (2 votes)

    And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, [even] unto death.

  • 2 Kings 6:32 (2 votes)

    But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and [the king] sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: [is] not the sound of his master's feet behind him?

  • Joshua 7:6 (2 votes)

    ¶ And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.