Lamentations 3:65

Modern

Put a veil of anguish over their hearts; may Your curse be upon them!

Traditional

Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.

Literal

May You give to them a covering for the heart—Your curse be upon them!

Latin

Dabis eis scutum cordis, laborem tuum.

Hebrew

English

Put a veil of anguish over their hearts; may Your curse be upon them!

This prayer for vengeance is similar to several psalms (see “Prayers for Vengeance” Theme Note).

Jerusalem deserved punishment, but the enemies carried it out with undeserved cruelty. The writer calls upon God to punish them.

The author emphasizes how cruel the enemies are and cries out to the Lord for help.

In this chapter, the author mourns what has happened (Lamentations 3:1–20, 48–54). In this chapter, the author mourns what has happened (Lamentations 3:21–25). He explains how God’s people should respond (Lamentations 3:26–47). Finally, he calls out to the Lord in prayer (Lamentations 3:55–66).

Theme notes and profiles

Isaiah 6:10
Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
Deuteronomy 2:30
But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as is the case this day.
1 Corinthians 16:22
If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be under a curse. Come, O Lord!
Psalm 109:17–18
The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
Deuteronomy 27:15–26
‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved idol or molten image—an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of a craftsman—and sets it up in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’