Lamentations 3:25 — Word Study
WLCט֤וֹב יְהוָה֙ לְקוָֹ֔יו לְנֶ֖פֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃
BSAThe LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is goodṭôwb [pleasant, beneficial] to those who wait for Himqâvâh [to await, to gather] to the soulnephesh [the essence of a person, the living being] who seeks Himdârash▸ [to ask, to worship]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| ט֤וֹב | [is] good | Adj |
| יְהוָה֙ | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| לְקוָֹ֔יו | to [those who] wait for him | Preposition, verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
| לְנֶ֖פֶשׁ | to anyone | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃ | [who] it will seek him | Verb qal imperfect third person feminine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. |
| KJV | The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. |
| ASV | Jehovah is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. |
| YLT | Good [is] Jehovah to those waiting for Him, To the soul [that] seeketh Him. |
| WEB | Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. |
| BBE | The Lord is good to those who are waiting for him, to the soul which is looking for him. |
The translations agree on the meaning of God's goodness in this verse.
The main clause is followed by two prepositional phrases that specify to whom the goodness of the LORD is directed.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectיהוה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Lamentations 3:25
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Hope in the Midst of Sufferinggenerated
Lamentations 3:25 expresses a profound truth about God's character — that He is good to those who wait for Him and to those who seek Him. This assurance comes in a context of lament, where the author reflects on the hardships faced by the people of Israel. The surrounding verses emphasize the importance of hope and patience in the face of trials, encouraging the faithful to trust in God’s timing and goodness.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamentations 3:26 | It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. |
| 2 | Genesis 49:18 | I await Your salvation, O LORD. |
| 3 | Psalm 25:8 | Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He shows sinners the way. |
| 4 | Psalm 27:14 | Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD! |
| 5 | Psalm 37:7–34 | Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 30 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — טוֹב, Tovgenerated
The Hebrew word טוֹב (tov) means good or pleasant, and it encompasses a range of meanings from agreeable to ethical goodness. Its use in this verse highlights God's benevolence and the positive outcomes associated with His character.
As an adjective, it describes the nature of the LORD, affirming that He is inherently good and beneficial to those who earnestly wait for Him and seek Him. This word is foundational in understanding God's relationship with His people.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb governs the whole verse — טוֹב, is good — with a subject, a prepositional phrase indicating to whom this goodness applies, and a second clause that describes the soul that seeks Him. The structure emphasizes God's goodness as a central theme.
The main clause is followed by two phrases: one describing those who wait for Him and another describing the soul that seeks Him. This layered structure highlights the relationship between God's goodness and the actions of waiting and seeking.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates טוֹב as ἀγαθὸς (agathos), which also means good. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning and emphasizes the moral quality of God’s character.
The use of κύριος (kurios) for יְהוָה reflects the Greek tradition of reverence for God's name, maintaining the focus on His sovereign goodness.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 3:25 tells us that the LORD is good to those who wait for Him and to the soul who seeks Him. This verse reassures us that God’s goodness is available to those who patiently trust in Him and actively seek a relationship with Him.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God’s nature is inherently beneficial and pleasant, and He acts in ways that promote well-being for those who trust in Him.
Waiting for the LORD involves patience, trust, and a continual seeking of His presence and guidance in our lives.
To seek the LORD means to actively pursue a relationship with Him through prayer, worship, and obedience, desiring to know Him more deeply.
Waiting is important because it demonstrates trust in God’s timing and His plans for our lives, allowing us to grow spiritually as we rely on Him.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to practice waiting on the LORD?
- How can I actively seek God in my daily life?
- What experiences have shown me the goodness of God when I waited for Him?
- How can I encourage others to wait on and seek the LORD?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Christian writers referenced this verse to discuss God's goodness, highlighting its significance in understanding God's nature.
“There is none good but one, God the Father.” This word they declare is peculiar to the Father of Christ, who, however, is different from the God who is creator of all things, to which creator he gave no appellation of goodness.Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 3 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 3:25 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe Lord [is] good to them that wait for him,.... For the enjoyment of him as their portion in this world, and in that to come; for his presence here and hereafter; which they are sometimes now
Read John Gill on Lamentations 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. The Lord is good ... It is good ... It is good. The repetition of "good" at the beginning of each of the three verses heightens the effect.
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleGood is a term of a very comprehensive notion. The nature of it lieth in a suitableness to the thing or person to whom it relateth; so it signifieth profit and pleasantness. There is in God an essential goodness, which is his absolute perfection; but this text speaketh of a communicative goodness, which floweth from him to his creatures, and is seen in his suiting their various necessities and desires with satisfactory dispensations of providence. Though God be in one degree or oilier good to all, yet he is more especially good to the true worshippers of him; yet possibly not in their seasons or times when they expect or would have God show himself so to them, in this or that way, but…
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 3:25 The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.Ver. 25. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him.] Which few can skill of, and I have somewhat to do to hit on, but would not now have missed of for all the world. To the soul that seeketh him.] Not giving over till he findeth him. Et hoc apertam cruditionem continct. - Figu.
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(25) The Lord is good.—The alliterative form of the Hebrew makes “good” the first word of this and the two following verses, the adjective being predicated, first of the essential character of Jehovah, and then of the conditions in man on which the manifestation of that character depends.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 3 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleIn these three verses, each beginning in the Hebrew with the word good, we have first the fundamental idea that Yahweh Himself is good, and if good to all, then especially is He so to those who being
Read Albert Barnes on Lamentations 3 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible25-27. Good — This teth (ùׂ) verse has each of its clauses commencing with “good.” The present verse division serves somewhat to conceal the structure — Good is Jehovah; Good that man hope and wait;
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Lamentations 3 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to the one who seeks him.
Tyndale line
The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
Jehovah is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
The LORD is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
The Lord is good vnto them, that trust in him, and to the soule that seeketh him.
Strictly literal
Jehovah is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.
Good [is] Jehovah to those waiting for Him, To the soul [that] seeketh Him.
YHWH [is] good to those waiting for Him, || To the soul [that] seeks Him.
The Lord is good unto those that hope in him, to the soul that seeketh him.
Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the one who seeks him.
From the Latin
Teth. The Lord is good to them that hope in him, to the soul that seeketh him.
Simplified
The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to anyone who seeks to follow him.
The Lord is good to those who are waiting for him, to the soul which is looking for him.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording for this verse, with all five words matched in the Hebrew and Greek texts. This consistency across witnesses reinforces the reliability of the message about God's goodness.
ט֤וֹב יְהוָה֙ לְקוָֹ֔יו לְנֶ֖פֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Lamentations 3:25
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
טוֹב (tov) is a Hebrew word meaning good or pleasant, encompassing a wide range of meanings from agreeable to the senses to ethical goodness. It can function as an adjective, noun, or adverb, referring to things like welfare, happiness, and prosperity. The feminine form, טוֹבָה (tovah), specifically denotes welfare or good things.
טוֹב adj. pleasant, agreeable, good
pleasant, agreeable to the senses
pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well
good, excellent, of its kind
good, rich, valuable in estimation
good, appropriate, becoming
c. מִן compar. = better
of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous
of man's intellectual nature, good understanding
good, kind, benign
good (ethical), right
base
טוֹב n.m. a good thing, benefit, welfare
welfare, prosperity, happiness
good things
good = benefit
moral good
base
טוֹבָה n.f. welfare, benefit, good things, good
welfare, prosperity, happiness
good things
bounty, good
base
H2896a טוֹב pleasant, agreeable, good . pleasant, agreeable to the senses
. pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well
. good, excellent, of its kind
. good, rich, valuable in estimation
. good, appropriate, becoming
. c. מִן compar. =better
. of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous
. of man's intellectual nature, good understanding
. good, kind, benign
. good (ethical), right
H2896b טוֹב a good thing, benefit, welfare H2896c טוֹבָה welfare, benefit, good things, good
2896 towb tobe
from 2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used
likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine,
the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a
good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or
women), also as an adverb (well):--beautiful, best, better,
bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour,
fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s),
graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving,
merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious,
prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well
((-favoured)).
see HEBREW for 02895
טוֹב (tov) — pleasant.
adj
1) good, pleasant, agreeable
1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses)
1b) pleasant (to the higher nature)
1c) good, excellent (of its kind)
1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation
1e) good, appropriate, becoming
1f) better (comparative)
1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature)
1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature)
1i) good, kind, benign
1j) good, right (ethical)
Aramaic equivalent: tav (טָב "fine" H2869)
טוֹב (tov) — good.
1) a good thing, benefit, welfare
1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness
1b) good things (collective)
1c) good, benefit
1d) moral good
טוֹבָה (to.vah) — welfare.
1) welfare, benefit, good things
1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness
1b) good things (collective)
1c) bounty
Adj — AdjHAamsa
good (Tobh, Tubh, yaTabh; agathos, agathon, kalos, kalon): In English "good" is used in various senses, most of which are represented in the Bible.
(1) In the Old Testament the commonest word is Tobh, occurring very frequently and translated in a great variety of ways. Of the different shades of meaning, which frequently run into each other, the following may be distinguished:
(a) Possessing desirable qualities, beneficial, agreeable, e.g. "good for food" (Ge 2:9); "We will do thee good" (Nu 10:29); Who will show us any good?" (Ps 4:6); "good tidings of good" (Isa 52:7).
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
קָוָה (qavah) is a Hebrew verb that encompasses the meanings of waiting, expecting, and collecting. It can refer to eagerly waiting or lying in wait, as well as the act of gathering together. The word appears in different forms, including Qal and Piel, indicating various nuances of waiting and collecting.
[קָוָה] vb. wait for
Qal those waiting for
Pi.
wait, or look eagerly, for
lie in wait for
wait (linger) for
base
[קָוָה] vb. collect;—Niph. be collected
base
H6960a קָוָה wait for . wait, or look eagerly, for
. lie in wait for
. wait (linger) for
H6960b קָוָה collect;—Niph. be collected
6960 qavah kaw-vaw'
a primitive root; to bind together (perhaps by twisting),
i.e. collect; (figuratively) to expect:--gather (together),
look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon).
קָוָה (qa.vah) — to await.
1) to wait, look for, hope, expect
1a) (Qal) waiting (participle)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to wait or look eagerly for
1b2) to lie in wait for
1b3) to wait for, linger for
קָוָה (qa.vah) — to collect.
1) to collect, bind together
1a) (Niphal) to be collected
Prep | V-Qal | Suff — Preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHR/Vqrmpc/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word נֶ֫פֶשׁ (*nephesh*) broadly means 'soul' or 'living being,' encompassing concepts like life, self, person, desire, and emotion. It is derived from the root meaning 'to breathe' and signifies both physical and mental aspects of existence. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, including as the seat of appetites and emotions, though its application to will and character is uncertain.
נֶ֫פֶשׁ 756 n.f. soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
= that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
The נפשׁ becomes a living being
The נפשׁ is specif.
The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
נ׳ in D
base
H5315 נֶ֫פֶשׁ soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion . = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
. The נפשׁ becomes a living being
. The נפשׁ is specif.
. The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
. נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
. נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
. נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
. נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
. נ׳ in D
5315 nephesh neh'-fesh
from 5314; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of
(abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal,
accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental):--any,
appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire,
X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y),
(hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me,
mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-,
thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they,
thing, (X she) will, X would have it.
see HEBREW for 05314
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
1g1) uncertain
1h) activity of the will
1h1) uncertain
1i) activity of the character
1i1) uncertain
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul: life.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHR/Ncfsa
דָּרַשׁ (darash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to seek or inquire. It encompasses a range of actions from frequenting a place to consulting deities in prayer and worship. The word can imply a diligent search or demand, and it appears in both Qal and Niphal forms, indicating various nuances of seeking and being sought. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.
דָּרַשׁ 162 vb. resort to, seek
Qal
(tread a place,) resort to, frequent
seek, consult, inquire of
seek deity in prayer and worship
seek, with idea of demanding, require
inquire, investigate (a matter)
ask for, require, demand
seek with application, study, follow, practise
seek with care, care for
Niph.
let oneself be inquired of, consulted, only of God
be sought out
be required, of blood
base
H1875 דָּרַשׁ resort to, seek
1875 darash daw-rash'
a primitive root; properly, to tread or frequent; usually to
follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or
ask; specifically to worship:--ask, X at all, care for, X
diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-)mancer,
question, require, search, seek (for, out), X surely.
דָּרַשׁ (da.rash) — to seek.
1) to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to resort to, frequent (a place), (tread a place)
1a2) to consult, enquire of, seek
1a2a) of God
1a2b) of heathen gods, necromancers
1a3) to seek deity in prayer and worship
1a3a) God
1a3b) heathen deities
1a4) to seek (with a demand), demand, require
1a5) to investigate, enquire
1a6) to ask for, require, demand
1a7) to practice, study, follow, seek with application
1a8) to seek with care, care for
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to allow oneself to be enquired of, consulted (only of God)
1b2) to be sought, be sought out
1b3) to be required (of blood)
V-Qal-Imperf-3fs | Suff — Verb qal imperfect third person feminine singular · suffixHVqi3fs/Sp3ms