King James Version

What Does Lamentations 3:57 Mean?

Lamentations 3:57 in the King James Version says “Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.” — study this verse from Lamentations chapter 3 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.”

Lamentations 3:57 · KJV

Fear & Courage

Context

55

I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.

56

Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.

57

Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.

58

O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.

59

O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Divine response remembered: "Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not." The Hebrew karavta beyom ekraeka amarta al-tira (קָרַבְתָּ בְּיוֹם אֶקְרָאֶךָּ אָמַרְתָּ אַל־תִּירָא) describes God's responsive approach. Karavta (קָרַבְתָּ, "you drew near") indicates active movement toward the one praying. God doesn't merely hear from a distance but draws close to help.

"In the day that I called" (beyom ekraeka, בְּיוֹם אֶקְרָאֶךָּ) emphasizes immediacy—the very day of calling, God approached. "Thou saidst, Fear not" (amarta al-tira, אָמַרְתָּ אַל־תִּירָא) recalls the most common command in Scripture. "Fear not" appears over 100 times in various forms, expressing God's reassurance to His people in crisis (Genesis 15:1, 26:24, Isaiah 41:10, 43:1, 5, Luke 12:32).

Theologically, this verse testifies to answered prayer. Though verses 1-54 described judgment, affliction, and the pit, verses 55-57 reveal God heard, drew near, and spoke comfort. This demonstrates that divine discipline doesn't mean permanent distance. The psalmist testifies similarly: "The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit" (Psalm 34:18). God's nearness to the suffering, repentant heart is guaranteed (James 4:8, 10).

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Historical & Cultural Context

God's drawing near "in the day" Jeremiah called likely refers to the rescue from the cistern (Jeremiah 38:7-13). Ebed-melech's intervention came swiftly, preventing Jeremiah's death. This was divine providence—God drawing near through human agency. The "fear not" may have been God's internal assurance to Jeremiah's heart, or prophetic word, or simply the peace that came with rescue.

For exilic Israel, God's "fear not" found fulfillment in restoration promises. Isaiah 40-55, often called the "Book of Comfort," repeatedly commands "fear not": "Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine" (Isaiah 43:1). "Fear not, O Jacob my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen" (Isaiah 44:2). These promises sustained hope during decades of exile.

The historical fulfillment came through Cyrus. Isaiah 45:1-7 shows God raised Cyrus to conquer Babylon and authorize Jewish return (Ezra 1:1-4). When the 70 years ended (Jeremiah 29:10), God indeed drew near and said "fear not" through concrete historical action. The same principle applies to all who call upon God—He draws near in their day of trouble and speaks peace to fearful hearts.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does God 'drawing near' in the day we call upon Him demonstrate His personal, responsive nature rather than distant indifference?
  2. What does the command 'fear not' reveal about God's understanding of our emotional state and His desire to give peace?
  3. In what ways did Christ's incarnation represent the ultimate 'drawing near'—God coming to us in flesh (John 1:14, Matthew 1:23)?
  4. How should past experiences of God drawing near when we called encourage us to cry out again in present troubles?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 6 words
קָרַ֙בְתָּ֙1 of 6

“Thou drewest near”

H7126

to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose

בְּי֣וֹם2 of 6

“in the day”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

אֶקְרָאֶ֔ךָּ3 of 6

“that I called”

H7121

to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)

אָמַ֖רְתָּ4 of 6

“upon thee thou saidst”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אַל5 of 6
H408

not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing

תִּירָֽא׃6 of 6

“Fear”

H3372

to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Lamentations. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Lamentations 3:57 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Lamentations 3:57 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

James 4:8Isaiah 41:10Isaiah 58:9Isaiah 41:14Revelation 2:10Isaiah 43:1-2

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