Lamentations 3:22-24 teaches that God’s loving kindness and compassion never run out, so His people are not destroyed even in deep sorrow. It also shows how a grieving person can choose hope by remembering who God is, even when circumstances have not changed.
These verses sit in the middle of a poem written after the fall of Jerusalem, when the city had been burned, the temple destroyed, and many of its people killed or taken into exile. The speaker has just described his misery in raw terms, so the turn toward hope in this passage is striking.
22 It is because of the LORD’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail. 23 They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. 24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul. “Therefore I will hope in him.”
Lamentations 3:22-24 (WEB)
Lamentations 3:22-24 Summary
The passage moves in three steps. First, the speaker affirms that the Lord’s steadfast love is the reason anyone survives the disaster at all. Second, he points to the newness of God’s mercies each morning and to the constancy of His faithfulness. Third, he declares that the Lord is his portion and that therefore he will wait for Him with hope.
The argument turns on a deliberate contrast. The speaker has been overwhelmed by memories of suffering, but he chooses to bring those memories into conversation with what he knows about God. The result is not denial of pain but a decision to anchor the heart in God’s character.
Context of Lamentations 3:22-24
Lamentations is a collection of five poems traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, though the book itself does not name its author. It was written to mourn the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon in 586 BC and was likely used by the community in worship and remembrance. Its original audience was the surviving population of Judah, who were grieving, displaced, and asking whether God had abandoned them.
Verses 19 through 21 describe the bitterness the speaker feels, and verse 21 is the hinge: he calls to mind what he has been feeling and then says, “therefore I have hope.” Verses 25 through 27 follow with wisdom about waiting on the Lord, which helps explain why the hope in verses 22 to 24 is not presented as quick relief but as patient trust.
Lamentations 3:22-24 Verse by Verse
Psalm 103:17
But the LORD’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him, his righteousness to children’s children…
(WEB)
This verse affirms that the Lord’s steadfast love lasts forever for those who fear Him. It echoes the theme of enduring mercy that runs through Lamentations 3:22-24.
Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
(WEB)
The psalmist declares that God is the strength of his heart and his portion forever. This connects closely with the idea of the Lord as the believer’s portion in verse 24.
A Prayer Based on Lamentations 3:22-24
Lord, when the night feels long and my heart is heavy, I thank You that Your loving kindness has not run out and Your compassion has not failed. Help me to receive Your mercies afresh with each new morning, and let me look for Your faithfulness even in the places where I feel most afraid. You are my portion, and I choose to place my hope in You today. Teach me to wait on You with patience and trust, knowing that You are good. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main meaning of Lamentations 3:22-24?
The main meaning is that God’s steadfast love and compassion never fail, even in times of deep suffering. Because of this, His people can hope in Him each morning. The passage calls believers to rest their hope in God’s unchanging character rather than in their circumstances.
What does “new every morning” mean in Lamentations 3:23?
It means that God’s mercies are renewed daily and do not depend on yesterday’s grace alone. Each new day brings a fresh measure of His kindness and faithfulness. The image encourages people to receive God’s care one day at a time.
Why does the speaker say the Lord is his portion?
In the ancient world, a portion was the inheritance a person received, and it represented security and provision. Calling the Lord his portion means that God is the speaker’s greatest treasure and source of stability. It is the basis for his decision to hope in Him.
