Lam 3:33 | KD | STEP | Let him also learn patiently to bear abuse and reviling from men. Let him present his cheek to him who smites him, as was done by Job ( ) and the servant of Jahveh ( ); cf. Mat 5:39. On , cf. ; , etc. There is a certain gradation in the three verses that it quite unmistakeable. The sitting alone and in silence is comparatively the easiest; it is harder to place the mouth in the dust, and yet cling to hope; it is most difficult of all to give the cheek to the smiter, and to satiate oneself with dishonour (Nägelsbach). In follow the grounds of comfort. The first is in : the sorrow will come to an end; the Lord does not cast off for ever; cf. , Jer 3:12. The second is in : when He has caused sorrow, He shows pity once more, according to the fulness of His grace. Compassion outweighs sorrow. On this subject, cf. ; ; Isa 54:8. The third ground of comfort is in : God does not send affliction willingly, as if it brought Him joy (cf. ), but merely because chastisement is necessary to sinful man for the increase of his spiritual prosperity; cf. ; 2Co 4:17. ויּגּה is for וייגּה: cf. Ewald, §232, f ; Gesenius, §69, 3, Rem. 6. That he may bring home to the hearts of God’s people the exhortation to bear suffering with patience and resignation, and that he may lead them to see that the weight of sorrow under which they are sighing has been sent from the Lord as a chastisement for their sins, the prophet carries out the thought, in , that every wrong committed upon earth is under the divine control ( ), and generally that nothing happens without God’s permission; hence man ought not to mourn over the suffering that befalls him, but rather over his sins ( ).

‏ Lamentations 3:33

Let him also learn patiently to bear abuse and reviling from men. Let him present his cheek to him who smites him, as was done by Job (Job 16:10) and the servant of Jahveh (Isa 50:6); cf. Mat 5:39. On Lam 3:30, cf. Psa 88:4; Psa 123:3, etc. There is a certain gradation in the three verses that it quite unmistakeable. The sitting alone and in silence is comparatively the easiest; it is harder to place the mouth in the dust, and yet cling to hope; it is most difficult of all to give the cheek to the smiter, and to satiate oneself with dishonour (Nägelsbach). In Lam 3:31-33 follow the grounds of comfort. The first is in Lam 3:31 : the sorrow will come to an end; the Lord does not cast off for ever; cf. Jer 3:5, Jer 3:12. The second is in Lam 3:32 : when He has caused sorrow, He shows pity once more, according to the fulness of His grace. Compassion outweighs sorrow. On this subject, cf. Psa 30:6; Job 5:18; Isa 54:8. The third ground of comfort is in Lam 3:33 : God does not send affliction willingly, as if it brought Him joy (cf. Jer 32:41), but merely because chastisement is necessary to sinful man for the increase of his spiritual prosperity; cf. Act 14:22; 2Co 4:17. ויּגּה is for וייגּה: cf. Ewald, §232, f; Gesenius, §69, 3, Rem. 6.

That he may bring home to the hearts of God’s people the exhortation to bear suffering with patience and resignation, and that he may lead them to see that the weight of sorrow under which they are sighing has been sent from the Lord as a chastisement for their sins, the prophet carries out the thought, in Lam 3:34-39, that every wrong committed upon earth is under the divine control (Lam 3:34-36), and generally that nothing happens without God’s permission; hence man ought not to mourn over the suffering that befalls him, but rather over his sins (Lam 3:37-39).