Devine Scripture

Lamentations 3:36

What does Lamentations 3:36 mean?

A plain-English look at Lamentations 3:36 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Lamentations 3:36 means

Subverting a person in his case—overturning rightful claims through deceit or power—does not please the Lord. God cares about truth and equity. Even in times of national judgment, His standards remain. This serves as a call to integrity within the suffering community and as assurance that oppressors will not be justified before God. He does not bless perversion of justice. The verse reassures the afflicted that their appeals for fair treatment align with God’s will, encouraging them to seek Him as judge when earthly courts and rulers fail.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

In his doing wrong to a man in his cause, the Lord has no pleasure.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord hath not approved.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Lamed. To destroy a man wrongfully in his judgment, the Lord hath not approved.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

to wrong a man in his cause, — will not the Lord see it?

Context

This completes the trio of denounced injustices. Next, verses 37–38 will proclaim God’s sovereign command over all events, both calamity and good. Holding these truths together—that God hates injustice and governs all—prepares for verse 39, which calls the living to accept discipline without complaint and to turn back to Jehovah (vv. 40–41).

v.35To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,

v.36This passage

v.37Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Jeremiah 22:3

    Thus saith Jehovah: Execute ye justice and righteousness, and deliver him that is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence, to the sojourner, the fatherless, nor the widow; neither shed innocent blood in this place.

  • Isaiah 59:15

    Yea, truth is lacking; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey. And Jehovah saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.

  • 2 Samuel 11:27

    And when the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased Jehovah.

  • Habakkuk 1:13

    Thou that art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and that canst not look on perverseness, wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy peace when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he;

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