Lamentations 5:16

16 The crown of glory has toppled from our head. Woe! Woe! Would that we'd never sinned!

Lamentations 5:16 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 5:16

The crown is fallen [from] our head
Or, "the crown of our head is fallen" F1; all their honour and glory as a nation were gone; the glory of their kingdom and priesthood, to both which a crown or mitre belonged; the glory of church and state. Aben Ezra interprets it of the temple, the place of the divine Majesty. Sanctius thinks there is an allusion to the crowns they wore upon their heads at their feasts and festivals; and so the words have a close connection with what goes before: woe unto us that we have sinned!
which had brought all these evils upon them: this is not to be considered as an imprecation or denunciation of misery; but as a commiseration of their case; calling upon others to it, and particularly God himself, to have mercy upon them; for, alas for them! they had sinned, and justly deserved what was come upon them; and therefore throw themselves at the feet of mercy, and implore divine compassion.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 (wnvar trje hlpn) "cecidit corona capitis nostri", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Calvin, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Lamentations 5:16 In-Context

14 The city gate is empty of wise elders. Music from the young is heard no more.
15 All the joy is gone from our hearts. Our dances have turned into dirges.
16 The crown of glory has toppled from our head. Woe! Woe! Would that we'd never sinned!
17 Because of all this we're heartsick; we can't see through the tears.
18 On Mount Zion, wrecked and ruined, jackals pace and prowl.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.