Lamentations 3:55-56
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The phrase "out of the depths of the pit" isn't just a metaphor for despair; it points to a place so low that it felt like the very abode of the dead, highlighting the utter extremity and desperate faith involved in calling on God's name from such a place. This wasn't a casual prayer, but a raw cry from a soul facing the ultimate darkness, yet still reaching for the divine.
“I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit; you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’
English Standard Version (ESV)
The poet is recalling a time of extreme suffering, when he was cast into a deep, dark pit, a place symbolic of the lowest point of despair, perhaps even the realm of the dead. Even in this desperate situation, far from any human hope, he turned his cry to God, remembering the Lord's character and attributes, trusting that his prayer would be heard from the very depths of his distress.
Ever felt like your prayers were swallowed by darkness, with no hope of being heard? This verse plunges into that very despair.
The phrase "depths of the pit" isn't just poetic language; it paints a picture of utter hopelessness. It echoes sentiments found in Psalms like 88:6 and 69:2, often understood as referring to the deepest despair, even the grave or Sheol, the abode of the dead. When Jeremiah, or the 'we' he represents, cries out from this "low dungeon," he's not in a minor inconvenience. He's in the absolute worst-case scenario, a place where all earthly hope has vanished. This is the extreme context from which this prayer arises. It highlights that there is no depth of suffering or despair so profound that prayer cannot reach it.
When we call on God's name, what are we really invoking? It's far more than just a label.
The verse states, 'I called on your name, O LORD.' In biblical thought, calling on God's 'name' isn't merely uttering a title. It's invoking His character, His attributes, His revealed nature. It's a prayer that acknowledges who God is – His power, His faithfulness, His mercy. Even from the darkest pit, the act of calling on God’s name demonstrates a conscious turning towards Him, remembering His known characteristics. This suggests that even in the most overwhelming circumstances, faith can focus on God's established nature as a source of hope and a reason for prayer.
Understand the original words
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YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Moses (YHWH). Calling on this name signifies an appeal to God’s character, His faithfulness, and His authority as the only true Savior in times of distress.
tehinnah · Hebrew Noun
The act of making an earnest, humble, or urgent request, particularly in a legal or religious context to a superior or to God for mercy and intervention.
shav'ah · Hebrew Noun
A loud or urgent call for aid, often expressing deep distress, suffering, or a desperate need for divine attention.
The verse likely recalls the prophet Jeremiah's own harrowing experience of being cast into a muddy cistern, reflecting the depths of despair during Jerusalem's destruction and exile. It highlights how even in the most dire circumstances, calling on God's name is a prayer of profound faith and hope.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invades Judah, besieging Jerusalem and deporting some of the Jewish elite, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Babylon again captures Jerusalem, exiling King Jehoiachin and many more prominent citizens, including the prophet Ezekiel. This further weakens the kingdom of Judah.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
After a prolonged siege and rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This event is the primary backdrop for the prophecies in Lamentations.
c. 586 BC
Jeremiah's Imprisonment
The prophet Jeremiah, who prophesied the fall of Jerusalem, is thrown into a muddy cistern by Jewish officials for his perceived disloyalty. He is later rescued but experiences immense suffering.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon, opening the way for the Jewish exiles to eventually return to their homeland.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus and Return of Exiles
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, marking the end of the Babylonian exile for many.
This Psalm, often called 'De Profundis' (From the Depths), directly echoes the sentiment of calling out from a place of deep distress, highlighting the theme of prayer from the lowest points of life.
Jonah 2:2Jonah's prayer from the belly of the fish parallels this verse, as he calls out to the LORD from a place of extreme peril and isolation, illustrating prayer in dire circumstances.
Psalm 88:6This verse describes being placed in the lowest parts, in darkness, in the depths, directly mirroring the imagery of the 'low dungeon' and the feeling of being plunged into the abyss, making it a powerful thematic link.
Jeremiah 38:6This passage describes Jeremiah being thrown into a cistern and sinking in mud, a very similar physical and spiritual 'low dungeon' experience from which he likely cried out to God.
Romans 8:38-39This passage assures believers that no earthly or even spiritual power can separate them from the love of God, offering comfort that even from the 'depths' of despair, God's love remains, which is the underlying hope in Lamentations 3:55.
barnesLamentations 3:55: "I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon."
A prayer for deliverance and for vengeance upon his enemies. Lamentations 3:55 Out of the low dungeon - "The lowest pit" of Psalm 88:6. Some consider that Psalm 69 was composed by Jeremiah, and is the prayer referred to here (Jeremiah 38:6 note).
ellicottLamentations 3:55: "I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon."
(55) Out of the low dungeon. —Here, again, we have to choose between a literal reference to Jeremiah’s sufferings or a figurative interpretation. The phrase is the same as that of Psalm 88:6 .
The phrase "out of the depths of the pit" isn't just a metaphor for despair; it points to a place so low that it felt like the very abode of the dead, highlighting the utter extremity and desperate faith involved in calling on God's name from such a place. This wasn't a casual prayer, but a raw cry from a soul facing the ultimate darkness, yet still reaching for the divine.
The poet is recalling a time of extreme suffering, when he was cast into a deep, dark pit, a place symbolic of the lowest point of despair, perhaps even the realm of the dead. Even in this desperate situation, far from any human hope, he turned his cry to God, remembering the Lord's character and attributes, trusting that his prayer would be heard from the very depths of his distress.
The poet is recalling a time of extreme suffering, when he was cast into a deep, dark pit, a place symbolic of the lowest point of despair, perhaps even the realm of the dead. Even in this desperate situation, far from any human hope, he turned his cry to God, remembering the Lord's character and attributes, trusting that his prayer would be heard from the very depths of his distress.
"“I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit; you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’" — The phrase "out of the depths of the pit" isn't just a metaphor for despair; it points to a place so low that it felt like the very abode of the dead, highlighting the utter extremity and desperate f…
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Last reviewed October 2026
