Lamentations 3:37-39
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This verse isn't just about God's power to make things happen; it's a challenge to anyone who thinks they can make things happen independently of Him. It highlights that even human speech and intentions are ultimately subject to God's sovereign command, meaning nothing truly "comes to pass" outside of His ultimate plan.
Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Jeremiah, in deep anguish over Jerusalem's destruction, has just declared that God seems not to see or heed their suffering. Now, he pivots, asserting that nothing happens without divine decree, reminding himself and the people that even the devastating events they face are ultimately under God's sovereign command. This truth is meant to encourage a quiet submission to God's will, even amidst immense hardship, by pointing to His ultimate authority over all circumstances.
Ever feel like the world is chaotic, with things happening randomly? This verse cuts through that confusion.
Jeremiah, the prophet, is speaking from a place of deep suffering in Babylon. Yet, even in utter despair, he anchors himself in a profound truth: God's spoken word is the ultimate source of all reality.
The Power of Divine Declaration
Think about creation in Genesis. God spoke, and it was so! "Let there be light" – and light existed. This verse echoes that immense power. It's not just that God wills things to happen; He declares them, and they come to pass.
No Independent Power
This means no human, no angel, no force in the universe can bring anything into existence or make it happen without God's command. Every event, every circumstance, hinges on His sovereign decree. This isn't about God being forced to do things, but that His authority is absolute. Anything that is, is because He commanded it.
When bad things happen, it's tempting to blame or question God. But this verse offers a path to peace.
The prophet isn't just making a theological statement about God's power; he's drawing a practical conclusion for living through suffering.
The Hand Behind the Hardship
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The commentators point out that this verse is used to encourage submission. If only God's commands bring things to pass, then even the afflictions we face are ultimately under His sovereign rule. He is either directly causing them or permitting them.
Not Random, But Ordained
This doesn't mean God approves of evil or sin, but that He is in control, even when things seem out of control. The pain and hardship in Jeremiah's life (and ours) aren't random accidents. They are allowed or ordained by the One who has the ultimate say over all reality. This understanding helps quiet anxious hearts.
Understand the original words
‘Elyown · Hebrew Noun
The sovereign God over all creation; the title emphasizes His supremacy, transcendence, and absolute authority over all earthly powers and events.
ra‘ah · Hebrew Noun
In this context, referring to the moral or physical hardships, calamities, or afflictions that result from human transgression. It reflects the consequences of turning away from God’s holiness.
chay · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
A state of existence in contrast to death; biblically, it emphasizes the opportunity for repentance and the grace afforded to those who are still breathing and able to seek God.
chet’ · Hebrew Noun
The divine disciplinary action or penalty imposed upon individuals or nations due to their disobedience and violation of God’s covenantal law.
This verse, penned amidst the profound trauma of Jerusalem's destruction and the Babylonian exile, serves as a powerful reminder of God's absolute sovereignty. It's a confession that even the most devastating historical events are not random or beyond divine control, but ultimately stem from His purposeful, albeit often mysterious, decree.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Israel
The powerful Neo-Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling its population and scattering them, a devastating blow to God's people.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports a group of Judean elites, including Daniel, to Babylon after a victory over Egypt. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Babylon deports King Jehoiachin and thousands more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. The Temple in Jerusalem is plundered.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces finally destroy Jerusalem and its sacred Temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This is a catastrophic event for Judah.
c. 580 BC
Jeremiah's Ministry Concludes
The prophet Jeremiah, who prophesied extensively about the coming judgment and exile, likely concludes his ministry around this time, possibly in Egypt.
c. 550-539 BC
Exile in Babylon
The Judean exiles live in Babylon, grappling with their faith and identity far from their homeland and the Temple, a period of deep reflection and theological development.
This passage shows how even human evil and actions that seem to be outside of God's direct command ultimately serve His sovereign purpose, echoing the idea that nothing happens apart from His decree.
Isaiah 45:7This verse directly confronts the idea of God's involvement in both good and 'evil' (calamity), reinforcing the theme that God's sovereignty extends over all events, even those that bring suffering.
Proverbs 16:9This proverb highlights that while humans plan their ways, it is the Lord who ultimately directs their steps, underscoring the divine control over human intentions and outcomes.
Amos 3:6This rhetorical question powerfully asserts that no significant event, especially disaster, occurs in the world without the Lord's permission or decree, mirroring the certainty in Lamentations.
Luke 22:22Jesus acknowledges that His impending suffering, though carried out by human hands, was 'determined beforehand' by God, illustrating how even sinful actions fulfill divine commands.
gillLamentations 3:37: "Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?"
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass?.... Or, "who that says this shall be, and it cometh to pass?" or, "who is he that saith this shall come to pass?" (i) this, or that, or the other thing, he wills and desires, and his heart is set upon: when the Lord commandeth it not? has not willed and decreed it, but determined the contrary; for nothing escapes his knowledge and foreknowledge; or can…
wesleyLamentations 3:37: "Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?"
3:37 Who - Nothing comes to pass in the world, but by the disposal of divine providence. This seems to be spoken in the name of the people of God, arguing themselves into a quiet submission, to their afflictions, from the consideration of the hand of God in them.
This verse isn't just about God's power to make things happen; it's a challenge to anyone who thinks they can make things happen independently of Him. It highlights that even human speech and intentions are ultimately subject to God's sovereign command, meaning nothing truly "comes to pass" outside of His ultimate plan.
The prophet Jeremiah, in deep anguish over Jerusalem's destruction, has just declared that God seems not to see or heed their suffering. Now, he pivots, asserting that nothing happens without divine decree, reminding himself and the people that even the devastating events they face are ultimately under God's sovereign command. This truth is meant to encourage a quiet submission to God's will, even amidst immense hardship, by pointing to His ultimate authority over all circumstances.
The prophet Jeremiah, in deep anguish over Jerusalem's destruction, has just declared that God seems not to see or heed their suffering. Now, he pivots, asserting that nothing happens without divine decree, reminding himself and the people that even the devastating events they face are ultimately under God's sovereign command. This truth is meant to encourage a quiet submission to God's will, even amidst immense hardship, by pointing to His ultimate authority over all circumstances.
"Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?" — This verse isn't just about God's power to make things happen; it's a challenge to anyone who thinks they can make things happen independently of Him. It highlights that even human speech and intenti…
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Last reviewed October 2026
