Lamentations 3:26 — Word Study
WLCט֤וֹב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהוָֽה׃
BSAIt is goodṭôwb [beneficial, pleasant] to waityâchîyl△ [hope and] quietlydûwmâm [in silence, stillness] for the salvationtᵉshûwʻâh [deliverance, rescue] of the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| ט֤וֹב | [is] good | Adj |
| וְיָחִיל֙ | and waiting | Conjunction, noun common both singular absolute |
| וְדוּמָ֔ם | and silently | Conjunction, adverb |
| לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת | for [the] salvation of | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | Yahweh | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. |
| KJV | It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. |
| ASV | It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Jehovah. |
| YLT | Good! when one doth stay and stand still For the salvation of Jehovah. |
| WEB | It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh. |
| BBE | It is good to go on hoping and quietly waiting for the salvation of the Lord. |
The translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse.
The structure consists of a main clause followed by a prepositional phrase that specifies the object of the waiting.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 5 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
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 3:26
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 — Reflections on Waiting for the Lordgenerated
Lamentations 3:26 speaks to the experience of waiting for God's salvation. The surrounding verses highlight the goodness of the Lord towards those who seek Him and the importance of enduring hardship with patience. This passage encourages a quiet, hopeful expectation of God's deliverance, contrasting the turmoil of life with the peace found in trusting Him.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 52:9 | I will praise You forever, because You have done it. I will wait on Your name— for it is good— in the presence of Your saints. |
| 2 | Psalm 54:6 | Freely I will sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it is good. |
| 3 | Psalm 73:28 | But as for me, it is good to draw near to God. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may proclaim all Your works. |
| 4 | Psalm 92:1 | It is good to praise the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High, |
| 5 | Galatians 4:18 | Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 15 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — טוֹב, Tovgenerated
The Hebrew word טוֹב (tov) is an adjective meaning good or pleasant, encompassing a range of meanings from agreeable to ethical goodness. It suggests something beneficial or pleasing, such as a good deed or a happy time.
In this verse, it emphasizes the positive aspect of waiting for God's salvation, indicating that it is not just good in a general sense but beneficial and pleasant to the soul.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the core meaning of the verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse comprises a main clause with a predicate and two additional phrases that modify the action. The structure highlights the main idea of waiting quietly for salvation, with the adverbial phrase emphasizing the manner of waiting.
The finite verb יָחִיל (yachiyl) governs the sentence, indicating the act of waiting, while דוּמָ֔ם (duwmam) describes how this waiting is to be conducted — in silence.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates טוֹב as ἀγαθὸν (agathon), which carries a similar meaning of goodness. This choice reflects the translators' intent to convey the positive nature of waiting for God's help.
The Greek word ὑπομενεῖ (hypomenein) for waiting suggests a sense of enduring or persevering, aligning with the Hebrew emphasis on quiet expectation.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 3:26 teaches that it is good to wait quietly for the Lord's salvation. This verse encourages patience and hope, reminding us that waiting for God is a beneficial practice.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means to have a calm and patient expectation for God's deliverance, trusting that He will act in His timing.
Waiting is seen as good because it allows for reflection, hope, and trust in God's plans, which can lead to spiritual growth.
Practicing waiting quietly can involve prayer, meditation, and taking time to be still before God, allowing Him to speak and guide.
In this context, 'salvation' refers to God's deliverance and rescue from difficulties, often both spiritually and physically.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does waiting quietly for God's salvation look like in my daily life?
- How can I cultivate a spirit of patience and trust in God's timing?
- In what areas of my life do I need to practice waiting on the Lord?
- What scriptures can I meditate on to strengthen my hope while I wait?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Theodoret of Cyrus comments on the importance of waiting for the Lord's intervention, emphasizing hope amidst adversity.
Up then, I beseech you, let us fight for the Lord’s sheep. Their Lord is near. He will certainly appear and scatter the wolves and glorify the shepherds.Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 3 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 3:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible[It is] good that [a man] should both hope and quietly wait,.... This follows from the former; for if God is good to such, it must be good for them to hope and wait for him; it is both their duty and
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 here either signifies honestum, what becomes men, and is their duty; or utile, what is profitable, and will turn to good account to them. Hoping and waiting differ but as the mother and daughter, hope being the mother of patience and waiting; or as the habit and act, hoping and waiting being ranch the same, flowing from a gracious power and habit given the soul to wait. Quietness is necessary to waiting, for all turbulency and impatience of spirit under sad providences is opposed to waiting. The salvation of the Lord refers to the outward man, in preserving or delivering us from dangers; or to the soul and inward man, in preserving us from, and delivering our souls out of, dangers they…
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 3:26 [It is] good that [a man] should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.Ver. 26. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait.] Heb., Be silent: not with a pythagoric or monastic silence, ut non liceat loqui locis et horis certis, but with a humble submission to God’ s holy will, a patient and peaceable behaviour under his hand; waiting for a good use thereof, and a gracious issue in the best time - to frame the heart whereunto, Aurea his subnectitur sententia.
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(26) Quietly wait.—Literally, wait in silence: i.e. abstain from murmurs and complaints.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 3 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 26. It is good that a man should both hope] Hope is essentially necessary to faith; he that hopes not, cannot believe; if there be no expectation, there can be no confidence. When a man hopes for salvation, he should not only wait for it, but use every means that may lead to it; for hope cannot live, if there be no exercise. If hope become impatient, faith will be impossible: for who can believe for his salvation when his mind is agitated? He must therefore quietly wait. He must expect, and yet be dumb, as the words imply; ever feeling his utter unworthiness; and, without murmuring, struggle into life.
Read AdamClarke on Lamentations 3 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible26. Hope and quietly wait, etc. — More literally, It is good both to wait and be silent=silently wait. Keil renders it: It is good that he should wait, and in silence too, for the help of God.
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
It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh.
It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good to wait patiently for deliverance from the Lord.
Tyndale line
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Jehovah.
It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good both to trust, and to waite for the saluation of the Lord.
Strictly literal
It is good that one should both wait, and that in silence, for the salvation of Jehovah.
Good! when one doth stay and stand still For the salvation of Jehovah.
[It is] good when one stays and stands still || For the salvation of YHWH.
It is good that one should wait and this in silence for the salvation of the Lord.
It is good to wait silently for the salvation of Yahweh.
From the Latin
Teth. It is good to wait with silence for the salvation of God.
Simplified
It is good to wait quietly for the Lord's salvation.
It is good to go on hoping and quietly waiting for the salvation of the Lord.
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 a direct correspondence in the Hebrew and Greek terms used. This consistency across texts reinforces the message of the verse.
ט֤וֹב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהוָֽה׃
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 3:26
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).
יָחִיל (yachiyl) is derived from the root word for 'hope' and primarily means 'waiting' or 'expectant.' It is used in the context of hope in Lamentations 3:26, where it conveys a sense of anticipation.
יָחִיל adj.verb. waiting—only La 3:26
ref
H3175 יָחִיל
3175 yachiyl yaw-kheel'
from 3176; expectant:--should hope.
see HEBREW for 03176
יָחִיל (ya.chil) — waiting.
waiting, hoping
Conj | Adj — Conjunction · noun common both singular absoluteHC/Ncbsa
דּוּמָם (duwmam) refers to silence, both as a noun and adverb. It can mean 'silently' or 'in silence,' and is described as a 'stone of silence' in some contexts. The word is built from the root associated with stillness, and its usage emphasizes quietness.
דּוּמָם n.[m.] silence … stone of silence = dumb stone; adv. in silence, silently
base
H1748 דּוּמָם silence … stone of silence = dumb stone; adv. in silence, silently
1748 duwmam doo-mawm'
from 1826; still; adverbially, silently:--dumb, silent,
quietly wait.
see HEBREW for 01826
דּוּמָם (du.mam) — silence.
1) silence
adv
2) in silence, silently
Conj | Adv — Conjunction · adverbHC/D
תְּשׁוּעָה (tshuw`ah) refers to concepts of rescue, deliverance, and salvation, both in a personal and national context. It emphasizes help and safety, often associated with divine intervention. The term is linked to victory as well, indicating a broader range of meanings related to overcoming challenges or enemies.
תְּשׁוּעָה († תְּשֻׁעָה 2 S 19:3) n.f. deliverance, salvation
base
H8668 תְּשׁוּעָה, תְּשֻׁעָה
8668 tshuw`ah tesh-oo-aw'
or tshuah {tesh-oo-aw'}; from 7768 in the sense of 3467;
rescue (literal or figurative, pers., national or spir.):--
deliverance, help, safety, salvation, victory.
see HEBREW for 07768
see HEBREW for 03467
תְּשׁוּעָה (te.shu.ah) — deliverance: salvation.
: salvation
1) salvation, deliverance
1a) deliverance (usually by God through human agency)
1b) salvation (spiritual in sense)
Also means: te.shu.ah (תְּשׁוּעָה ": victory" H8668H)
תְּשׁוּעָה (te.shu.ah) — deliverance: victory.
: victory
1) salvation, deliverance
1a) deliverance (usually by God through human agency)
1b) salvation (spiritual in sense)
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular constructHR/Ncfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
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