I clearly remember the first time I heard someone sing The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases by Edith Mcneill. I was really touched by the beautiful words and found myself humming the tune over the years.
The first time I read the Book of Lamentations, a book that laments the destruction of Jerusalem, which happened because Judah[1] was unfaithful to God for many generations, I was surprised to find these beautiful words there (3:22–23).
Suddenly, the words seemed much deeper than before. I marveled that amid reviewing Judah’s enduring unfaithfulness to God and lamenting that God had allowed the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem—their pride, the holy dwelling of God, Zion itself—the poet could exult in the steadfast love of God.
The beauty of these words came into even sharper relief for me as I grew in my command of biblical Hebrew, but sharing this with you requires that I get a bit technical, so bear with me. I learned (Gentry 2007, 285–286) that because of a certain anomaly in the Hebrew text, biblical scholars have been struggling to understand the text. Some (e.g., ESV, NASB, NLT), assuming that the first part of the poetic line is parallel with the second part (for his mercies never come to an end),[2] opted for something to the effect of “the steadfast love of the LORD never ceases.” The issue revolves around the word tamnu (translated as “ceases” above). This form of the word occurs only once in the whole Hebrew Bible, so these scholars understandably assume that the letter n was copied into the text by accident. If the n is removed, it is steadfast love that does not cease.
However, some others (e.g., NIV, NKJV, CSB) offer a translation something to the effect of “because of the LORD’s steadfast love we do not cease to exist.” The difference comes down to them taking tamnu at face value. If the n remains in place, it is we who do not cease. The second reading is the one to be preferred.[3]
22 Because of the LORD’s steadfast love
we do not cease to exist,
for his mercies never come to an end.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
(Lam 3:22-23)
When I came across this reading my appreciation for these words became even greater. That the Israelites would fail to be faithful to God and end up in exile is already prophesied in Deuteronomy 4. Before they crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land, God already knew that they would not, on the whole, keep the Law, heed the prophets he sent, or remain faithful to him.
Back to Lamentations, the exile had just happened and the author would have paid witness to some terrible atrocities committed by the Babylonians. Thinking back on the history of Judah and how they have been unfaithful to God, he realizes it is only due to God’s steadfast love that they were not completely wiped out as they deserved.
In Deuteronomy 4, where the exile is prophesied for the first time, Moses says “For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath” (Deut 4:31; NIV).
Some people have the impression that God was a meanie in the Old Testament, but I think his kindness and love are there to be seen—if we would just look. I am often filled with wonder at the love and patience God showed the Israelites in the Old Testament. It helps me to appreciate the mercy he had on me by saving me from the pollution of sin and how he is patient with me as I struggle to gain greater and greater freedom from the power of sin by his grace.
His mercies are new every morning. May this always fill us with wonder.
Works Cited:
Gentry, Peter J. 2007. “We have not come to an end.” In Basics of Biblical Hebrew: Grammar. 2nd ed. Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. van Pelt, 285–286. Grand Rapids: MI.
McNeill, Edith. 1974. The Steadfast Love of the Lord Never Ceases. Aliquippa: Celebration.
Short Bio: Izaak is a biblical studies lecturer at SATS and also the copy editor of Conspectus, the theological journal of SATS. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Old Testament with a focus on the Book of Deuteronomy.
Izaak is passionate about helping believers delight in the beautiful things that the Old Testament reveals about the character of God. He lives with his wife Karien in Stellenbosch, and they fellowship at the local Joshua Generation Church where he occasionally teaches and preaches.
[1] I refer to Judah here instead of Israel because the Book of Lamentations is about the fall of the Kingdom of Judah (the southern kingdom), when Jerusalem was destroyed.
[2] Unless otherwise indicated, translations of the Hebrew text are my own.
[3] There are three reasons to favor the second reading. Firstly, it takes the text as is. Secondly, the particle ki (translated as “because” in the second option) is not translated by the first reading, taking it as some untranslatable grammatical exception. Lastly, the second reading also makes much more sense in the context of Lamentations.
