The Meaning of Lamentations 3:8 Explained

Lamentations 3:8

KJV: Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

YLT: Also when I call and cry out, He hath shut out my prayer.

Darby: Even when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

ASV: Yea, when I cry, and call for help, he shutteth out my prayer.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Also when I cry  and shout,  he shutteth out  my prayer. 

What does Lamentations 3:8 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Lamentations 3

1  The prophet bewails his own calamities
22  By the mercies of God, he nourishes his hope
37  He acknowledges God's justice
55  He prays for deliverance
64  And vengeance on his enemies

What do the individual words in Lamentations 3:8 mean?

Even when I cry and shout He shuts out my prayer
גַּ֣ם כִּ֤י אֶזְעַק֙ וַאֲשַׁוֵּ֔עַ שָׂתַ֖ם תְּפִלָּתִֽי

גַּ֣ם  Even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אֶזְעַק֙  I  cry 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: זָעַק  
Sense: to cry, cry out, call, call for help.
וַאֲשַׁוֵּ֔עַ  and  shout 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁוַע  
Sense: (Piel) to cry out (for help), shout.
שָׂתַ֖ם  He  shuts  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָתַם 
Sense: to stop up, shut up, keep close.
תְּפִלָּתִֽי  my  prayer 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: תְּפִלָּה  
Sense: prayer.