Lamentations 3:55 — Word Study
WLCקָרָ֤אתִי שִׁמְךָ֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִבּ֖וֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃
BSAI called onqârâʼ■ [invoked, cried out to] Your nameshêm [identity, character, and honor] O LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the self-existent God] out of the depthstachtîy [lowermost parts, the lowest points] of the Pitbôwr [cistern, prison, or a place of darkness]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| קָרָ֤אתִי | I called | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
| שִׁמְךָ֙ | name your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| יְהוָ֔ה | O Yahweh | Noun proper |
| מִבּ֖וֹר | from a pit of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃ | lowest parts | Adj |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I called on Your name, O LORD, out of the depths of the Pit. |
| KJV | ¶ I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon. |
| ASV | I called upon thy name, O Jehovah, out of the lowest dungeon. |
| YLT | I called Thy name, O Jehovah, from the lower pit. |
| WEB | I called on your name, Yahweh, out of the lowest dungeon. |
| BBE | I was making prayer to your name, O Lord, out of the lowest prison. |
Where they part company is שִׁמְךָ֙ — see How Translations Differ.
The structure consists of a main clause with two phrases providing context for the call, emphasizing the speaker's plea from a place of despair.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbיהוה
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 3:55
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 — A Lament from the Depthsgenerated
Lamentations 3:55 expresses a cry for help from a place of suffering. The speaker, overwhelmed by despair, reaches out to the LORD, seeking His presence and intervention. This verse is part of a larger lament where the speaker recounts their afflictions and pleads for God's mercy, reflecting the deep emotional turmoil experienced in times of distress.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Chronicles 33:11–12 | So the LORD brought against them the military commanders of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon. |
| 2 | Psalm 18:5–6 | The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. |
| 3 | Psalm 40:1–2 | I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry. |
| 4 | Psalm 69:13–18 | But my prayer to You, O LORD, is for a time of favor. In Your abundant loving devotion, O God, answer me with Your sure salvation. |
| 5 | Psalm 116:3–4 | The ropes of death entangled me; the anguish of Sheol overcame me; I was confronted by trouble and sorrow. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — קָרָ֤אתִי, ka.Ra.tigenerated
The verb קָרָא (qara') means to call out to someone or something, often by name. It is used in various contexts, such as calling for help or proclaiming something aloud. Here, it indicates a desperate plea directed toward God, emphasizing the urgency and sincerity of the request.
The parsing as a perfect first person common singular verb shows that the speaker has already called out, indicating a completed action. This adds to the sense of immediacy and personal engagement in the act of calling upon the LORD.
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 main verb קָרָ֤אתִי, I called, governs the entire verse, with a noun phrase as the object and a prepositional phrase indicating the source of the call. The structure highlights the speaker's direct appeal to God from a place of despair.
The positioning of the verb at the beginning of the verse emphasizes the action of calling, while the subsequent phrases elaborate on the identity of God and the depths from which the call arises.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates קָרָ֤אתִי as κύριε (Lord), indicating the same invocation of God's name. This choice reflects a continuity in addressing God with reverence and authority.
The translation of תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת as κατωτάτου (lowest) aligns with the Hebrew meaning, reinforcing the imagery of profound depths.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 3:55 shows the speaker calling out to the LORD from a place of great distress. This verse is part of a lament where the speaker expresses feelings of despair and seeks God's help, highlighting the deep emotional struggles faced in times of trouble.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To call on the LORD's name means to invoke His identity and character, seeking His presence and assistance in times of need.
The depths of the Pit symbolize extreme distress and despair, indicating the seriousness of the speaker's situation.
This verse reflects the overarching themes of Lamentations, which include suffering, despair, and the hope of divine intervention.
The speaker's call to God demonstrates the importance of reaching out to Him in times of trouble, trusting in His character and ability to help.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I feel like I am in the depths, and how can I call on God for help?
- How can I better understand and invoke the character of God in my prayers?
- What does it mean to me personally to call on the name of the LORD?
- How can this verse encourage me to reach out to God during difficult times?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 3:55 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI called upon thy name, O Lord,.... As in times past, so in the present distress; when all hope was gone, and all help failed, still there was a God to go to, and call upon: out of the low dungeon;
Read John Gill on Lamentations 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon. I called upon thy name ... out of the low dungeon. Thus the spirit resists the flesh, and faith spurns the temptation (Calvin; Psalms 130:1; Jonah 2:2). Verse 56.
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThat is, out of my deepest affliction, as Jonah out of the belly of hell, . I cried unto God, and called upon him for mercy.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 3:55 I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.Ver. 55. I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon.] See Psalms 130:1 Jonah 2:1.
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(55) Out of the low dungeon.—Here, again, we have to choose between a literal reference to Jeremiah’s sufferings or a figurative interpretation. The phrase is the same as that of Psa 88:6.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 3 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleA prayer for deliverance and for vengeance upon his enemies. Lamentations 3:55 Out of the low dungeon - “The lowest pit” of Psalms 88:6. Some consider that Ps.
Read Albert Barnes on Lamentations 3 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible55. Low dungeon, etc. — Here is evidently a reminiscence of the 88th psalm, in the sixth verse of which the same original words are rendered lowest pit. The meaning is not sheol, but the deep places.
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
I called on Your name, O LORD, out of the depths of the Pit.
I called on your name, Yahweh, out of the lowest dungeon.
I called on Your name, O LORD, out of the depths of the Pit.
I have called on your name, O Lord, from the deepest pit.
Tyndale line
¶ I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
I called upon thy name, O Jehovah, out of the lowest dungeon.
I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the lowest dungeon.
I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
I called vpon thy Name, O Lord, out of the lowe dungeon.
Strictly literal
I called upon thy name, Jehovah, out of the lowest pit.
I called Thy name, O Jehovah, from the lower pit.
I called Your Name, O YHWH, from the lower pit.
I called on thy name, O Lord, out of the dungeon of the lowest depth.
I called on your name, Yahweh, from the depths of the pit.
From the Latin
Coph. I have called upon thy name, O Lord, from the lowest pit.
Simplified
I called out for you, Lord, from deep inside the pit.
I was making prayer to your name, O Lord, out of the lowest prison.
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 on the wording of this verse, with all five words matched in the Hebrew and Greek texts. The Dead Sea Scrolls also reflect the same content, although they contain editor-supplied words, confirming the overall consistency of the verse across these witnesses.
קָרָ֤אתִי שִׁמְךָ֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִבּ֖וֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃
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.
[קראתי] [שמ׳ך] [יהוה] [מבור] [תחתיות]
nothing on the leather here — 5 supplied entire by an editor.
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 3:55
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.
The Hebrew word קָרָא (qara') is a primitive root meaning to call, proclaim, or read. It encompasses a range of actions including calling out, crying for help, reading aloud, and summoning. The word can also imply being called or named in various contexts. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read
Qal
call, cry, utter a loud sound
call, cry
call unto some one
cry for help
proclaim
read aloud
read to oneself
summon
call = name
Niph.
reflex.
pass. be called
Pu. be called
base
H7121 קָרָא call, proclaim, read .. . call, cry, utter a loud sound
. call, cry
. . call unto some one
. cry for help
. proclaim
. . read aloud
. read to oneself
. summon
. call = name
. . reflex.
. pass. be called
. be called
7121 qara' kaw-raw'
a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea
of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly,
address by name, but used in a wide variety of
applications):--bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for,
forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite,
mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(- ation),
pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.
see HEBREW for 07122
קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call to.
: call_to/invite/entreat
1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound
1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)
1a3) to proclaim
1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read
1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow
1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to call oneself
1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named
1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen
קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call by.
: call_by/name
1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound
1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)
1a3) to proclaim
1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
שֵׁם (shem) means 'name' and encompasses various meanings such as reputation, fame, and glory. It can refer to the designation of God and is often associated with memorials or monuments. The word is built from a primitive root and highlights individuality and honor. There is a mention of its use in relation to false gods, which is forbidden.
שֵׁם 864 n.m. name (√ unknown)
of river, beasts, city, i.e. exact designation of it
usu. of pers.
= reputation
esp. as giving a man a kind of posthumous life, esp. in his sons
name, as designation of God
of false gods, use forbidden
= memorial, monument
base
H8034 שֵׁם name (√ unknown)
8034 shem shame
a primitive word (perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea
of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064); an
appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by
implication honor, authority, character:--+ base,
(in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.
see HEBREW for 07760
see HEBREW for 08064
שֵׁם (shem) — name.
1) name
1a) name
1b) reputation, fame, glory
1c) the Name (as designation of God)
1d) memorial, monument
Aramaic equivalent: shum (שֻׁם "name" H8036)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
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
בּוֹר (bor) refers to a pit, well, or cistern, often used for water storage or as a dungeon. It can also denote a grave pit. The term appears in various contexts, including the specific location known as the cistern of Sirah, mentioned in 2 Samuel 3:26. The entries consistently emphasize its function as a hole or pit.
בּוֹר n.m. pit, cistern, well
cistern, containing water, made by digging
later appar. well
pit
dungeon
(poet. & late; never c. art.) pit of the grave
base
בּוֹר הַסִּרָה n.pr.loc. 2 S 3:26 (cistern of Sirah)
ref
H953a בּוֹר pit, cistern, well H953b בּוֹר הַסִּרָה (cistern of Sirah)
953 bowr bore
from 952 (in the sense of 877); a pit hole (especially one
used as a cistern or a prison):--cistern, dungeon, fountain,
pit, well.
see HEBREW for 0952
see HEBREW for 0877
בּוֹר (bor) — pit.
pit, well, cistern, dungeon, pit of the grave
בּוֹר (bor) — Cistern.
Cistern of Sirah
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
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…
תַּחְתִּי (tachtiy) means 'lower' or 'lowest,' referring to positions or places. It can be used as an adjective or a noun, indicating the depths or lower parts, such as a pit or womb. The word is derived from a root meaning 'low' and is noted in various contexts in the Old Testament.
תַּחְתִּי adj. and subst. lower, lowest (places)
base
H8482 תַּחְתִּי lower, lowest (places)
8482 tachtiy takh-tee'
from 8478; lowermost; as noun (feminine plural) the depths
(figuratively, a pit, the womb):--low (parts, -er, -er
parts, - est), nether (part).
see HEBREW for 08478
תַּחְתִּי (tach.ti) — lower.
1) low, lower, lowest
1a) lowest (as adj)
1b) the lower parts (subst)
Adj — AdjHAafpa