Lamentations 3:32 (DBY)

Passage

but if he have caused grief, he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses:

Nearby Context

Lamentations 3:30 he giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him; he is filled full with reproach.

Lamentations 3:31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever;

Lamentations 3:32 but if he have caused grief, he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses:

Lamentations 3:33 for he doth not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.

Lamentations 3:34 To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "caused", "grief", "compassion", "multitude", and "loving-kindnesses". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "caused" and "grief", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 31's "For the Lord will not cast off..." into verse 33's "for he doth not willingly afflict or...", so "caused" and "grief" belong inside that flow. In Lamentations context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "caused" and "grief" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.