How should Lamentations 3:64 influence our response to personal injustice? Setting the Scene The poet of Lamentations—widely understood to be Jeremiah—has witnessed devastating national loss and personal mistreatment. In the midst of tears, he entrusts justice to God rather than exacting it himself. Text of Lamentations 3:64 “LORD, You will repay them according to the work of their hands.” Key Observations • The verb “will repay” is future-tense confidence, not present-tense retaliation. • The appeal is directed to the LORD, acknowledging His exclusive right to judge. • “According to the work of their hands” echoes the biblical principle of just recompense (Psalm 62:12; Revelation 22:12). • The verse sits in a chapter that balances lament with hope, showing that trust in God’s justice co-exists with suffering’s reality. Theological Takeaways • God’s justice is certain, personal, and perfectly measured. • Human vengeance is unnecessary—and forbidden—because divine repayment is sure (Romans 12:19). • Entrusting injustice to God keeps the sufferer from bitterness and from taking sinfully aggressive steps (Proverbs 20:22). • The verse does not negate love for enemies (Matthew 5:44); rather, it places ultimate judgment in God’s hands. Practical Applications • Choose prayer over payback. Speak to God about the wrong instead of plotting retaliation. • Maintain moral integrity. Knowing God will repay, continue acting righteously even when wronged (1 Peter 3:16). • Cultivate patience. God’s timetable may differ from ours, yet His judgment never errs (2 Peter 3:9). • Release emotional debt. Forgiving the offender personally does not cancel God’s righteous judgment; it frees the injured party from the weight of resentment (Ephesians 4:31-32). • Witness through endurance. A calm, God-trusting response testifies powerfully to unbelievers (1 Peter 2:23). Related Scriptures to Shape Our Response • Romans 12:19—“Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.’” • Psalm 94:1—“O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth.” • 1 Peter 2:23—“When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” • Proverbs 20:22—“Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the LORD, and He will deliver you.” Lamentations 3:64 invites every believer to hand personal injustice over to the righteous Judge, confident that His repayment will be exact, timely, and far wiser than any act of human revenge. |
    |