Lamentations 4:6 — Bible Verse (KJV)

Lamentations 4:6 in Context — Lamentations 4

⁴ The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.

⁵ They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

⁶ For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.

⁷ Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:

⁸ Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.

Read the full chapter: Lamentations 4 — The Peace of God Which Surpasses All Understanding →

What Does Lamentations 4:6 Mean?

Philippians 4:6-7 — 'Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus' — is the New Testament's most direct treatment of anxiety. The command 'be careful for nothing' (literally: be anxious about nothing) is absolute and all-inclusive. It is paired immediately with a positive: what to do instead of worrying. The prescription has three elements: prayer (general communication with God), supplication (specific requests), and thanksgiving. The thanksgiving element is crucial — it keeps prayer from being mere demand-making by grounding it in gratitude for what God has already done. The result is described as 'the peace of God, which passeth all understanding.' This peace is not logical, not the result of circumstances improving, not the product of positive thinking. It 'passes understanding' — it makes no sense by human calculation, and it exists even when circumstances remain unchanged. The peace 'keeps' (Greek: phrourei — a military term for a garrison guarding a city) the heart and mind. God's peace stands guard against the invasion of anxiety.

Lamentations 4:6 is from the Book of Lamentations (Old Testament), chapter 4. Available translations: King James Version (1611), World English Bible (2000), American Standard Version (1901), Young's Literal Translation (1862), Darby Translation (1890), Geneva Bible (1599). Read Lamentations 4 in full context →