Question 1

What does it mean that the Lord's mercies are new every morning?

Accepted Answer

When this passage says God's mercies are new every morning, it means His kindness and compassion do not run out or grow stale. Each day, even after sin and failure, God still chooses to spare, help, and sustain His people. The writer looks at the fact that they are not completely destroyed and sees this as proof that God keeps showing mercy again and again. Morning after a dark night becomes a picture of how God brings fresh help and hope, even when people have suffered much.

Question 2

What does Great is thy faithfulness mean in this passage?

Accepted Answer

“Great is thy faithfulness” is the writer’s way of saying that God can be fully trusted. God keeps His promises and does not change His character, even when His people are under discipline. The city has fallen and the people are suffering, yet God is still steady in mercy and compassion. His faithfulness shows in the fact that they are not completely consumed and that He continues to care for them every day. Remembering this helps the writer move from despair to real, grounded hope.

Question 3

What does it mean that The Lord is my portion?

Accepted Answer

When the writer says, “The Lord is my portion,” he is saying that God Himself is his share, his inheritance, and the one he depends on. Instead of looking to land, wealth, or safety as his main security, he looks to God. Even after losing so much outwardly, he still has the Lord, and that is enough for him to keep hoping. This is a choice of the heart: to treat God as the one lasting possession that cannot be taken away, and to rest his expectations on Him.

Question 4

Why is it good to hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord?

Accepted Answer

The passage calls it good to hope and quietly wait because God is good to those who wait for Him and seek Him. Quiet waiting means trusting God’s timing instead of demanding quick answers or complaining against Him. The people are under heavy trouble, but rushing or rebelling will not change God’s plan. Waiting with hope keeps the heart turned toward God, expecting His help and rescue in His way. This kind of patience honors God and helps the sufferer hold on instead of giving in to despair.

Question 5

What does it mean to bear the yoke in youth?

Accepted Answer

To “bear the yoke in youth” means to learn to carry hard things and submit to God’s discipline early in life. A yoke is what is put on an animal to guide and control it, so here it pictures the weight of God’s commands and the trials He allows. Carrying this while young trains a person to be humble, patient, and steady when greater troubles come later. It is not saying suffering is pleasant, but that early discipline can shape a stronger, more trusting heart toward God.

Question 6

Why does the passage say God does not afflict willingly?

Accepted Answer

When it says God does not afflict willingly, it means He does not enjoy hurting people or take pleasure in their pain. He may allow grief and hardship, but not because He delights in crushing anyone. The context shows that His affliction comes with purpose, like correction or discipline, not cruelty. The same passage also says He will not cast off forever and that He has compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. So His heart leans toward mercy, even when He must judge or correct.

Question 7

How does remembering past suffering lead to humility in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The writer says his soul still remembers his affliction and is humbled within him. He does not forget the bitterness of what he has gone through, but instead of becoming proud or blaming God, that memory softens his heart. It reminds him of his weakness and need for God’s mercy. This kind of remembrance keeps a person from boasting and helps them see that any survival or hope they have is only because of God’s kindness, not their own strength or goodness.

Question 8

What does this passage teach about waiting, silence, and submission?

Accepted Answer

The passage describes a person who sits alone, keeps silence, puts his mouth in the dust, and even gives his cheek to the one who strikes him. These pictures show a heart that stops fighting against God and accepts His hand in humility. Silence here is not coldness, but a quiet acceptance that God is right and wise. Putting the mouth in the dust means lowering oneself as far as possible, still hoping for mercy. It shows that in deep trouble, the best path is humble, patient submission to God.

Question 9

What does this passage say about God casting off or rejecting people?

Accepted Answer

The passage clearly says, “For the Lord will not cast off for ever.” That means God’s rejection is not the last word for His people. He may cause grief for a time, but He also has compassion according to the greatness of His mercies. The people are suffering because of their sin, yet this line reminds them that God will not abandon them without end. His mercy and faithfulness remain, so there is reason to hope that He will restore and comfort in His time, even after severe discipline.

Question 10

How can this passage help someone who is suffering today?

Accepted Answer

Someone suffering today can see their own feelings in this passage: bitterness, grief, and the sense of being crushed. The writer does not pretend those feelings are small. But he chooses to remember God’s mercies, faithfulness, and compassion that do not fail. He accepts that God may use hardship as discipline, not to destroy but to refine. This can guide a person to bring their pain to God honestly, to wait quietly, to humble themselves, and to hold on to the truth that God does not delight in affliction and will not cast off forever.

Lamentations 3:19

Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

The Prophet’s Hope

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Lamentations 3:19

Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

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The Prophet’s Hope

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