Lamentations 3:17 Meaning and Explanation
“And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Peace has been pushed far from his soul, until he has forgotten what well-being even feels like.
What Does Lamentations 3:17 Mean?
'Thou hast removed my soul far off from peace.' Peace here is shalom, the deep well-being and wholeness that is God's good gift, and it has been carried far away, out of reach. The sufferer's soul cannot find it. Notice that he addresses God directly again — 'thou' — keeping the conversation open even in his desolation.
'I forgat prosperity' is a poignant confession. He has been without good for so long that he can no longer remember what it was like, what it felt like to be well. Sustained suffering can erase the memory of better days until despair feels like the only reality there ever was. This is the emotional floor of the chapter — and from this exact place of forgotten peace, memory is about to be reawakened in a way that changes everything.
Lamentations 3:17 in the Original Language
shalom (שָׁלוֹם), 'peace' -- wholeness and well-being, the flourishing that grief has carried far away.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lamentations 3:17
What does Lamentations 3:17 mean?
Peace has been pushed far from his soul, until he has forgotten what well-being even feels like.