Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
Lamentations 3:59 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 59. 59O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
This verse asks the LORD who has seen the wrong to judge the speaker's cause.
Read It With
- Lamentations 3:55-60
Read Lamentations 3:59 with 3:55-60. This verse asks the LORD who has seen the wrong to judge the speaker's cause. The complete unit establishes this movement: From the lowest pit the speaker calls on the LORD, remembers or requests divine hearing and nearness, recalls his cause being pleaded and life redeemed, and asks God to judge the wrong and vengeance already seen.
Why This Verse Appears Here
The drowning image turns into addressed prayer and a legal appeal, giving fragile evidence of nearness without ending the enemy conflict. Within that movement, this verse asks the LORD who has seen the wrong to judge the speaker's cause.
Follow the Context
- The speaker calls the LORD's name from the lowest pit.
- Hearing, breath, cry, nearness, and 'fear not' are remembered or requested.
- The Lord is addressed as advocate and redeemer of life.
- Seen wrong, vengeance, and schemes become grounds for divine judgment.
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“O LORD”
In plain language: This verse asks the LORD who has seen the wrong to judge the speaker's cause.
Seeking divine judgment can coexist with lawful human process.
Why it matters: The wording carries textual, theological, ethical, or pastoral risk requiring its complete unit and stated limits.
How certain? probableWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
This verse does not authorize vigilantism, presume a verdict without evidence, or bypass due process.
What Remains True
Seeking divine judgment can coexist with lawful human process.
How It Can Shape Life
- Document wrong and pursue fair adjudication without revenge.
Teach It Back
Explain how Lamentations 3:59 contributes to Lamentations 3:55-60. Include the surrounding alphabet stanza, the stated uncertainty, and what this verse does not authorize.
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Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Lamentations 3:55-60 — Calling from the Pit and Pleading for JusticeSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? probable
Where care is needed
The speaker's claim is part of an appeal; readers still must investigate claims responsibly.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact displayed Scripture, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and canonical verse coverage.
Exact location: Lamentations 3:55-60, repository-pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗hebrew text and morphology
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible: Lamentations
Open Scriptures
Open Scriptures, release 2.2
Supports: Masoretic Hebrew wording, morphology, alphabet sequence, person and number, repeated vocabulary, and translation questions.
Exact location: Open Scriptures MorphHB v.2.2, commit 6a5db284c715c18b239422e57bb89684e6a19f00, wlc/Lam.xml, OSIS Lam.3.55-Lam.3.60
Open source ↗translation and translator notes
NET Bible: Lamentations with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2006
Supports: Verse-level Hebrew, syntax, textual, acrostic, literary, historical, and translation notes.
Exact location: NET Bible Lamentations PDF, printed pp. 1565-1571, translation and notes on 3:55-60
Open source ↗