Bible Strands
Lamentations 3:57
You drew near when I called on You; You said, “Do not be afraid.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The afflicted speaker in Lamentations 3 addresses God, recounting the immediate moment after his cry for relief (Lamentations 3:56). This exchange marks the turning point from isolated lament to acknowledged divine intervention.
The words — The text foregrounds קָרַ֙בְתָּ֙ (ka.Rav.ta), literally "you drew near," and אָמַ֖רְתָּ ('a.Mar.ta), literally "you said." These verbs structurally bind the speaker's call to God's responsive approach and speech.
The thread — The sequence of calling and divine response runs through Isaiah 58:9, where God promises to answer cries and declare "Here I am." The reassurance "Do not be afraid" parallels the divine presence promises in Isaiah 41:10 and the invitation to approach God in James 4:8.
Why it lands — The verse presents the explicit sequence that human petition triggers divine approach and authoritative speech. It requires the reader to accept that calling on God precedes comfort and demands immediate obedience to the command against fear.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
- James 4:8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Isaiah 58:9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry out, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and malicious talk,
- Isaiah 41:14 Do not fear, O Jacob, you worm, O few men of Israel. I will help you,” declares the LORD. “Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
- Revelation 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
- Psalms 145:18 The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call out to Him in truth.
- Isaiah 43:1 But now, this is what the LORD says—He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine!
- Acts 18:9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent.
- Acts 27:24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And look, God has granted you the lives of all who sail with you.’
- Psalms 69:18 Draw near to my soul and redeem me; ransom me because of my foes.