Lamentations 3:50
Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
The plea for God to "look down from heaven" echoed Israel's deepest prayers. Moses interceded: "Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel" (Deuteronomy 26:15). Isaiah prayed: "Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory" (Isaiah 63:15). Solomon's temple dedication asked God to hear prayers "from thy dwelling place, even from heaven" (1 Kings 8:30, 39, 43, 49).
The exile seemed to negate these prayers—God appeared to have stopped looking down, stopped hearing. Psalm 74:1 cries: "O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?" Yet faithful exiles maintained hope. Daniel prayed facing Jerusalem three times daily (Daniel 6:10). The returned exiles under Ezra-Nehemiah confessed sin while appealing to God's mercy (Ezra 9:6-15, Nehemiah 9:6-37).
God did eventually look down. Isaiah 40:1-2 announces: "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned." The 70-year exile ended precisely as Jeremiah prophesied (Jeremiah 29:10), demonstrating that God had not permanently turned away His gaze.
Questions for Reflection
- What does "till the LORD look down" teach about persisting in prayer even when God seems silent or distant?
- How does this verse's shift from describing judgment (vv. 1-47) to awaiting God's intervention (v. 50) model movement from despair to hope?
- In what ways does Christ's resurrection demonstrate that God has looked down from heaven and intervened decisively in human history?
- How should believers balance honest lament over current circumstances with confident expectation that God will eventually act?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Hope emerges through persistent prayer: "Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven." The Hebrew ad-yashkif veyare YHWH mishamayim (עַד־יַשְׁקִיף וְיֵרֶא יְהוָה מִשָּׁמָיִם) expresses patient waiting for divine intervention. Yashkif (יַשְׁקִיף, "look down") and yare (יֵרֶא, "see") together emphasize God's attention turning toward His suffering people.
The phrase "from heaven" (mishamayim, מִשָּׁמָיִם) locates God's dwelling above, from which He observes earth. Though the cloud blocks prayer (verse 44), the speaker persists in crying out until God looks down. This demonstrates faith that God's silence is temporary, not permanent. Psalm 102:19-20 similarly declares: "For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death."
Theologically, this verse marks a crucial shift from despair toward hope. Though verses 1-47 describe comprehensive judgment, verse 50 introduces "till"—implying expectation that God will eventually act. The weeping continues but is now directed purposefully toward moving God to look and see. This anticipates verses 55-58, where God does indeed hear and draw near. It demonstrates that persistent prayer, even when seemingly unheard, is faith's proper response to discipline.