The poet now reaches the closing phase of the book. Verse 19 is a statement of trust in God, in which the two half-lines are parallel in meaning. For a similar recognition of God’s eternal rule in laments, see Psalm 44.1-8; 74.12-17; 80.1-2; 89.1-18. Although the Hebrew does not have a contrast word like But, such a connection is implied by the placement of “you” at the opening of the verse. The ancient versions understood the contrast in the same way.

Reign translates the same term as used in 2.10, where it means “sit.” When used, as here, in parallel with throne, the sense is clearly that of “reign, rule, govern.” Good News Translation and Bible en français courant say “you … are king.” The word translated for ever can either refer back to the beginning of time or forward to the end of time, as in Psalm 90.2: “from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.” In this context the poet is looking to the future, and so translators should indicate this.

Thy throne is a symbol of God’s rule, or of God’s being the ruler. Endures to all generations is literally “to generation and generation,” which means “from one generation to another” (New English Bible), or continually, without ceasing. God’s eternal kingly rule was an article of faith for the psalmists, as is clear from such passages as Psalm 9.7; 29.10; 93.2; 102.12. For ever and to all generations may sometimes be rendered as “going on and on,” or negatively as “having no end”; for example, “LORD, you will go on and on ruling and you will rule us for ever.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on Lamentations. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .