The waters flowed over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
Parallel translations
- WEB Waters flowed over my head; I said, I am cut off.
- KJV Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
- NKJV The waters flowed over my head; I said, “I am cut off!”
- NASB Waters flowed over my head; I said, “I am cut off!”
- NLT The water rose over my head, and I cried out, “This is the end!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Overwhelmed as by drowning waters, he despaired, saying he was cut off.
Overview
The floodwaters closing over his head depict overwhelming distress to the point of despair. 'I am cut off' is the cry of one who feels beyond rescue. Yet this lowest point becomes the place where he calls on God, modeling faith that cries out even from the depths (Ps. 69:1-2; Jonah 2:3-4).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Jonah 2:3–5For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me.
- Ezek 37:11Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’
- 2 Cor 1:8–10We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
- Lam 3:18So I say, “My strength has perished, along with my hope from the LORD.”
- Ps 18:4The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.
- Isa 38:10–13I said, “In the prime of my life I must go through the gates of Sheol and be deprived of the remainder of my years.”
- Ps 31:22In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from Your sight!” But You heard my plea for mercy when I called to You for help.
- Ps 69:1–2For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David. Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck.
- Ps 124:4–5then the floods would have engulfed us, then the torrent would have overwhelmed us,
- Ps 69:15Do not let the floods engulf me or the depths swallow me up; let not the Pit close its mouth over me.
- Job 17:11–16My days have passed; my plans are broken off—even the desires of my heart.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The weeping over a ruined city and the steadfast mercies that are new every morning point to the man of sorrows who wept over Jerusalem and whose mercy rises new from the grave.
How Lamentations 3:54 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.