Lamentations 5:21

21 Restore us to yourself, LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old

Lamentations 5:21 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
21 Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.
English Standard Version (ESV)
21 Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old--
New Living Translation (NLT)
21 Restore us, O LORD, and bring us back to you again! Give us back the joys we once had!
The Message Bible (MSG)
21 Bring us back to you, God - we're ready to come back. Give us a fresh start.
American Standard Version (ASV)
21 Turn thou us unto thee, O Jehovah, and we shall be turned; Renew our days as of old.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
21 O LORD, bring us back to you, and we'll come back. Give us back the life we had long ago,
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
21 Lord, restore us to Yourself, so we may return; renew our days as in former times,
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
21 Lord, please bring us back to you. Then we can return. Make our lives like new again.

Lamentations 5:21 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 5:21

Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned
This prayer expresses the sense they had of their backslidings from God, and distance from him; of their inability to turn themselves to the Lord, or convert themselves; and of their need of divine grace, and of the efficacy of that to effect it; see ( Jeremiah 31:18 ) ; for this is to be understood not only of returning them to their own land, and to the external worship of God in it; but of turning them to the Lord by true and perfect repentance, as the Targum; of the conversion of their hearts and the reformation of their lives:

renew our days as of old;
for good, as the Targum adds. The request is, that their good days might be renewed; that they might enjoy the same peace and prosperity, and all good things in their own land, as they had done in days and years past: first they pray for repentance; then restoration.

Lamentations 5:21 In-Context

19 You, LORD, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation.
20 Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long?
21 Restore us to yourself, LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old
22 unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Psalms 80:3; Isaiah 60:20-22
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