Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Lamentations 3:24
The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
24. The Lord is my portion ] a frequent expression in the Psalms (Psa 16:5, Psa 73:26, Psa 119:57, Psa 142:5).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Lord is my portion – My portion is Yahweh, see Num 18:20; Psa 16:5 ff.
Therefore will I hope in him – A more full expression of the confidence present in the prophets mind in Lam 3:21, but based now upon Gods faithfulness in showing mercy.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 24. The Lord is my portion] See Clarke on Ps 119:57.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
God is the portion of his people, and they have chosen him as their portion; he hath declared himself to them as such, and they have accepted him as such. This gives them ground both for patience under his providences, and also of expectation of good from him in their lowest and meanest state.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
24. (Num 18:20;Psa 16:5; Psa 73:26;Psa 119:57; Jer 10:16).To have God for our portion is the one only foundation of hope.
Teth.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The Lord [is] my portion, saith my soul,…. The prophet, or the church, whom he represents, rises and increases in the exercise of faith; from considering the mercies, compassions, and faithfulness of God, concludes a sure and firm interest in him, as a portion and inheritance. The Lord is the portion of his people in life and in death, in time and to eternity; all he is, and has, is theirs; they are heirs of him, and shall enjoy him for ever, and therefore shall not be consumed; he is a portion large and full, inexpressibly rich and great, a soul satisfying one, and will last for ever. And happy are those, who from their hearts, and with their souls, under a testimony of the Spirit of God to their spirits, and through a gracious experience of him, can say he is their portion and exceeding great reward, as the church here did; and these may say with her, as follows:
therefore will I hope in him: for deliverance from all evils and enemies; for present supplies of grace; and for the enjoyment of future glory and happiness.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Prophet intimates in this verse that we cannot stand firm in adversities, except we be content with God alone and his favor; for as soon as we depart from him, any adversity that may happen to us will cause our faith to fail. It is then the only true foundation of patience and hope to trust in God alone; and this is the case when we are persuaded that his favor is sufficient for our perfect safety. In this sense it is that David calls God his portion. (Psa 16:5.) But there is in the words an implied contrast, for most men seek their happiness apart from God. All desire to be happy, but as the thoughts of men wander here and there, there is nothing more difficult than so to fix all our hopes in God so as to disregard all other things.
This then is the doctrine which the Prophet now handles, when he says, that those alone could hope, that is, persevere in hope and patience, who have so received God as their portion as to be satisfied with him alone, and to seek nothing else besides him. But he speaks emphatically, that his soul had thus said. Even the unbelieving are ashamed to deny what we have stated, that the whole of our salvation and happiness is found in God alone. Then the unbelieving also confess that God is the fountain of all blessings, and that they ought to acquiesce in him; but with the mouth only they confess this, while they believe nothing less. This then is the reason why the Prophet ascribes what he says to his soul, as though he had said, that lie did not boast, like hypocrites, that God was his portion, but that of this lie had a thorough conviction. My soul has said, that is, I am fully convinced that God is my portion; therefore will I hope in him. We now understand the meaning of this passage.
It remains for us to make an application of this doctrine. That we may not then fail in adversities, let us bear in mind this truth, that all our thoughts will ever wander and go astray, until we are fully persuaded that God alone is sufficient for us, so that lie may become alone our heritage. For all who are not satisfied with God alone, are immediately seized with impatience, whenever famine oppresses them, or sword threatens them, or any other grievous calamity. And for this reason Paul also says,
“
If God be for us, who can be against us? I am persuaded that neither famine, nor nakedness, nor sword, nor death, nor life, can separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ.” (Rom 8:31.)
Then Paul lays hold of the paternal favor of God as a ground of solid confidence; for the words in Christ sufficiently show that those are mistaken interpreters who take this love passively, as though he had said, that the faithful would never cease to love God, though he exercised them with many afflictions. But Paul meant that the faithful ought so to fix their minds on God alone, that whatever might happen, they would not yet cease to glory in him. Why? because God is their life in death, their light in darkness, their rest in war and tumult, their abundance in penury and want. It is in the same sense our Prophet now says, when lie intimates that none hope in God but those who build on his paternal favor alone, so that they seek nothing else but to have him propitious to them. It afterwards follows, —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(24) The Lord.An inversion of the sentence gives a closer and more emphatic rendering: My portion is Jehovah. The phrase is a reminiscence from Psa. 16:5; Psa. 73:26; Psa. 142:5; Psa. 119:57, the thought resting primarily on Num. 18:20.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
24. The Lord is my portion An almost verbatim quotation from
Psa 119:57, which is also substantially identical with several other passages.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Lam 3:24 The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Ver. 24. The Lord is my portion. ] And that is enough for me, should I never have more. See Trapp on “ Psa 16:5 “ That which giveth content in any portion is (1.) The favour and presence of God; (2.) That it is from the hand of a Father; (3.) That it comes to us in the covenant of grace; (4.) That it is the purchase of Christ’s blood; (5.) That it is an answer of prayers, and a blessing from above on honest endeavours, &c. Vide autem, pie Lector, saith an expositor: See here, good reader, how this prophetic lamentation beginneth to be a guide to godliness. For it doth not, after the manner of silly women, throw out empty words without wisdom; but teacheth all along, either overtly or covertly, that all things here below, how highly soever esteemed, are vanity and soon lost; but the grace of God is solid and stable; a Christum tollere nemo potest. Christ is a portion unlosable, as one b once answered to those that asked him why he was still merry and cheerful.
Said my soul.
Therefore will I hope in him.
a Pet. a Figueir.
b Deicola Abbas.
c Emphatice loquitur.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
my portion: Psa 16:5, Psa 73:26, Psa 119:57, Psa 142:5, Jer 10:16, Jer 51:19
therefore: Lam 3:21, 1Sa 30:6, 1Ch 5:20, Job 13:15, Psa 31:24, Psa 33:18, Psa 42:11, Psa 43:5, Psa 62:8, Psa 84:12, Psa 130:7, Rom 15:12, 1Pe 1:21
Reciprocal: Gen 15:1 – and thy Num 18:20 – I am thy part Deu 18:2 – the Lord Psa 42:5 – hope Psa 62:5 – wait Psa 140:6 – I said unto Ecc 6:12 – who knoweth Joh 6:56 – He that Rom 12:12 – Rejoicing Gal 4:7 – heir
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE BEST PORTION
The Lord is my portion, saith my soul.
Lam 3:24
I. The Lord is the portion of His people.
(1) The object of their supreme love.
(2) The object of their entire confidence.
(3) The object of their chiefest joy.
II. The qualities of the portion.
(1) It is suitable.
(2) It is adequate.
(3) It is enduring. Flesh and heart shall faint and fail, but He is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Lam 3:24. Soul is again used tor the whole man, and Jeremiah has hope that the Lord will supply his every need, both temporal and spiritual. Portion is from a Hebrew word that is defined “an allotment in Strong’s lexicon.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Lam 3:24-26. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul An interest in the favour and love of God, and his presence with me, my heart tells me, is the best inheritance. And, possessing these, I have that which is sufficient to balance all my troubles, and make up all my losses. For, while portions on earth are empty and perishing things, God is an all-sufficient and durable portion, a portion for ever. Therefore will I hope in him I will stay myself upon him, and encourage myself in him, when all other supports and encouragements fail me. Observe, reader, it is our duty and interest to make God the portion of our souls, and then to enjoy and take comfort in him as such, in the midst of afflictions and lamentations. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him To them that patiently wait his time; when he shall judge it a proper season to afford them comfort and deliverance; and who, in the mean while, apply themselves to him by prayer and humiliation. It is good It is our duty, and will be our unspeakable comfort and satisfaction; that a man should hope and quietly wait, &c. To hope that it will come, though the difficulties that lie in the way of it seem insuperable; to wait till it does come, though it be long delayed; and while we wait to be quiet and silent, not quarrelling with God, or making ourselves uneasy, but acquiescing in the divine disposal.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
3:24 The LORD [is] my {l} portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
(l) The godly put their whole confidence in God, and therefore look for no other inheritance, as Psa 16:5 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Jeremiah reminded himself that Yahweh was his portion. Consequently he had hope (cf. Num 18:20). By calling the Lord his portion, the prophet was comparing Yahweh to an allotment of land that provides the necessities of life (cf. Psa 16:5-6; Psa 73:26; Psa 119:57; Psa 142:5).
"To have God for our portion is the one only foundation of hope." [Note: Jamieson, et al., p. 664.]