Lamentations 5:11-21

11 They have ravished the women in Zion, the maids in the cities of Judah.

12 Princes were hanged up by their hand; the faces of elders were not honoured.

13 The young men have borne the mill, and the youths have stumbled under the wood.

14 The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music.

15 The joy of our heart hath ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

16 The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, for we have sinned!

17 For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes have grown dim,

18 Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate: foxes walk over it.

19 Thou, Jehovah, dwellest for ever; thy throne is from generation to generation.

20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, dost thou forsake us so long time?

21 Turn thou us unto thee, Jehovah, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

Lamentations 5:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LAMENTATIONS 5

In this chapter are reckoned up the various calamities and distresses of the Jews in Babylon, which the Lord is desired to remember and consider, La 5:1-16; their great concern for the desolation of the temple in particular is expressed, La 5:17,18; and the chapter is concluded with a prayer that God would show favour to them, and turn them to him, and renew their prosperity as of old, though he had rejected them, and been wroth with them, La 5:19-22.

Footnotes

• [a] Or 'the aged,' as ch. 4.16.
• [b] * Neginoth, 'stringed instruments,' as Title, Ps 4,6,54,55,61,67,76. The verb is, 'to strike the strings:' Isa. 38.20; Lam. 3.14; Hab. 3.19.
• [c] Or 'sittest:' see Ps. 80.1.