Lamentations 3:34-36 Meaning: Why Does God Allow Injustice?
34To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
35to turn away the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
36to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord doesn’t approve.
34To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
35To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
36To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
34To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
35To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
36To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
34To bruise under one's feet any bound ones of earth,
35To turn aside the judgment of a man, Over-against the face of the Most High,
36To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord hath not approved.
34To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
35to turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
36to wrong a man in his cause, — will not the Lord see it?
Meaning in one sentence
Lamentations 3:34-36 shows three specific injustices God does not approve of.
Context
Lamentations 3 is the hinge of the whole book. Earlier in the chapter the writer describes deep anguish, then suddenly turns. He remembers God's mercies are new every morning. God has compassion and does not afflict willingly. Then come these three verses. They list the kind of suffering that was real for Jerusalem: prisoners crushed under foot, justice twisted in court, a person's cause subverted. The poet says flatly that the Lord does not approve of any of it. This is not a detached observation. In the middle of exile, when it looked like God had abandoned His people, these words insist that the oppression they endured is not something God winks at. He sees. He is not the author of the evil they suffer.
Key Words
Three Hebrew verbs name the wrongs. The first word for crush (dakah) means to break into pieces, to shatter. It is the same word used of a contrite heart in Psalm 51. The picture is brutal: a conqueror stepping on prisoners who are already bound. The second verb turn aside (natah) literally means to stretch out or bend, but in legal settings it means to pervert justice, to bend the verdict away from what is right. The third subvert (avat) means to make crooked, to twist a person's case.
The final verb approve (raah) is the Hebrew word for see. But in this context it means look upon with approval. God does not look on these acts and say they are good. He sees them, and they offend Him. That small word not carries the whole weight of hope: the God who rules over everything is not indifferent. He stands against the very things that break His people.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read these verses as a strong statement about God's character. Many Reformed commentators see them as a ground for patience: because God does not approve of injustice, the oppressed can wait for His deliverance, knowing He will not leave wrongs unaddressed. Others emphasize that God is not the cause of evil. Wesleyan and Methodist readings highlight that God's nature is to show mercy, and cruelty contradicts His heart. Catholic and Orthodox interpreters often connect these verses to Christ, who was himself unjustly condemned. All agree on the core: these three verses are not a description of God's actions but a declaration of what He rejects. They give the sufferer a place to stand. The God who sees will act.
A common misunderstanding
Someone might read the Lord does not approve and think it means God is unaware of what is happening, as if He turns a blind eye. In fact, the Hebrew word raah often means to look favorably or to regard with approval. The verse says the opposite: God does see, and what He sees He does not endorse. He is not asleep to the injustice. He is actively against it.
Living This Out
This week you may witness something unfair. It might be a news report that makes your stomach clench, or a smaller wrong in your own workplace or family. Your first instinct could be despair: does anyone see? These verses answer: God sees, and He does not approve. That knowledge changes how you carry the weight. You are not alone with it.
There is also a harder question. Are you, in any small way, the one who crushes? The way you speak about someone who is down, the way you bend a story to win an argument. God does not approve of that either. Let these words search your own hands and heart before you point them at others.
Main takeaway: God does not approve of injustice; He sees every wrong and will bring justice in His time.
For Families
For ages 5-8
God does not like when people treat others badly. If someone is being unfair, God sees it. He will help make things right one day.
For ages 9-12
These verses talk about three wrong things: hurting people who are already trapped, being unfair in court, and twisting a person's case. God says He does not approve of any of it. That means even when the people in charge do wrong, God is still in charge. He sees everything. You can tell Him when something feels unfair, and He will listen. He will not let the wrong have the last word.
Questions People Ask
What does 'the Lord does not approve' mean in Lamentations 3:36?
The Hebrew word raah means 'to see' but often carries the sense of 'to look upon with approval.' So the verse means God does not look favorably on these acts of injustice. He sees them and rejects them. He is not indifferent to the suffering they cause.
Why does God allow injustice if He doesn't approve of it?
The Bible does not give a simple answer to why God permits evil. But Lamentations 3 is written from within the suffering, not from outside it. The poet acknowledges the pain while still insisting that God is not the author of injustice. The passage does not explain why God allows it, but it gives the sufferer confidence that God sees, cares, and will ultimately bring justice.
Does this verse mean God causes suffering in the exile?
No. Earlier in Lamentations 3:33 the poet says God 'does not afflict willingly' or 'from His heart.' These verses (34-36) list things God does not approve of. The surrounding context makes clear that while God allowed the exile as discipline, the specific acts of cruelty by the oppressors are contrary to His nature. He disapproves of them.
What are the three specific injustices listed in these verses?
First, crushing prisoners under foot, which refers to treating captives with brutal contempt. Second, turning aside a man's right before the face of the Most High, meaning giving an unjust verdict in a court that claims to represent God. Third, subverting a man in his cause, which means using unfair means to defeat someone's legal case.
How does Lamentations 3:34-36 give hope to someone who is being treated unfairly?
The hope is not that suffering will end instantly, but that God is not indifferent to it. He sees every injustice and does not approve. This means the oppressor does not have God's blessing, and the oppressed can cry out to God knowing He will hear. The same God who saw the suffering in Lamentations sees yours, and He will act in His time.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study