Lamentations 5:16

16 Nothing is left of all we were proud of. We sinned, and now we are doomed.

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 old people no longer sit at the city gate, and the young people no longer make music.
15 Happiness has gone out of our lives; grief has taken the place of our dances.
16 Nothing is left of all we were proud of. We sinned, and now we are doomed.
17 We are sick at our very hearts and can hardly see through our tears,
18 because Mount Zion lies lonely and deserted, and wild jackals prowl through its ruins.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.