Lamentations 5

A Prayer for Mercy

1 Remember, O LORD, what has befallen us; Look, and see our 1reproach!
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to 2strangers, Our 3houses to aliens.
3 We have become orphans 4without a father, Our mothers are like widows.
4 We have to pay for our drinking 5water, Our wood comes to us at a price.
5 Our pursuers are at our necks; We are worn out, there is 6no rest for us.
6 We have submitted * to 7Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.
7 Our 8fathers sinned, and are no more; It is we who have borne their iniquities.
8 9Slaves rule over us; There is 10no one to deliver us from their hand.
9 We get our bread at the 11risk of our lives Because * of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin has become as 12hot as an oven, Because * of the burning heat of famine.
11 They ravished the 13women in Zion, The virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes were hung by their hands; 14Elders were not respected.
13 Young men 15worked at the grinding mill, And youths 16stumbled under loads of wood.
14 Elders are gone from the gate, Young men from their 17music.
15 The joy of our hearts has 18ceased; Our dancing has been turned into mourning.
16 The 19crown has fallen from our head; 20Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Because of this our 21heart is faint, Because of these things our 22eyes are dim;
18 Because of 23Mount Zion which lies desolate, 24Foxes prowl in it.
19 25You, O LORD, rule forever; Your 26throne is from generation to generation.
20 Why do You 27forget us forever? Why do You forsake us so * long *?
21 28Restore us to You, O LORD, that we may be restored; Renew 29our days as of old,
22 Unless * 30You have utterly rejected us And are exceedingly * 31angry with us.

Cross References 31

  • 1. Psalms 44:13-16
  • 2. Isaiah 1:7; Hosea 8:7, 8
  • 3. Zephaniah 1:13
  • 4. Exodus 22:24; Jeremiah 15:8; Jeremiah 18:21
  • 5. Isaiah 3:1
  • 6. Nehemiah 9:36, 37
  • 7. Hosea 9:3; Hosea 12:1
  • 8. Jeremiah 14:20; Jeremiah 16:12
  • 9. Nehemiah 5:15
  • 10. Psalms 7:2; Zechariah 11:6
  • 11. Jeremiah 40:9-12
  • 12. Job 30:30; Lamentations 4:8
  • 13. Isaiah 13:16; Zechariah 14:2
  • 14. Isaiah 47:6; Lamentations 4:16
  • 15. Judges 16:21
  • 16. Jeremiah 7:18
  • 17. Isaiah 24:8; Jeremiah 7:34
  • 18. Jeremiah 25:10; Amos 8:10
  • 19. Job 19:9; Psalms 89:39; Jeremiah 13:18
  • 20. Isaiah 3:9-11
  • 21. Isaiah 1:5
  • 22. Job 17:7; Lamentations 2:11
  • 23. Micah 3:12
  • 24. Nehemiah 4:3
  • 25. Ps 102:12, 25-27
  • 26. Psalms 45:6
  • 27. Psalms 13:1; Psalms 44:24
  • 28. Psalms 80:3; Jeremiah 31:18
  • 29. Isaiah 60:20-22
  • 30. Psalms 60:1, 2; Jeremiah 7:29
  • 31. Isaiah 64:9

Footnotes 12

Lamentations 5 Commentaries

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