Lamentations 5
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Remember, O Lord - In the Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic, this is headed, "The prayer of Jeremiah." In my old MS. Bible: Here bigynneth the orison of Jeremye the prophete. Though this chapter consists of exactly twenty-two verses, the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet, yet the acrostic form is no longer observed. Perhaps any thing so technical was not thought proper when in agony and distress (under a sense of God's displeasure on account of sin) they prostrated themselves before him to ask for mercy. Be this as it may, no attempt appears to have been made to throw these verses into the form of the preceding chapters. It is properly a solemn prayer of all the people, stating their past and present sufferings, and praying for God's mercy. Behold our reproach - הביט hebita. But many MSS. of Kennicott's, and the oldest of my own, add the ה he paragogic, הביטה hebitah, "Look down earnestly with commiseration;" for paragogic letters always increase the sense.
Open source ↗EPIPHONEMA, OR A CLOSING RECAPITULATION OF THE CALAMITIES TREATED IN THE PREVIOUS ELEGIES. (Lam. 5:1-22) (Psa 89:50-51).
Open source ↗Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us,.... This chapter is called, in some Greek copies, and in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, "the prayer of Jeremiah". Cocceius interprets the whole of the state of the Christian church after the last destruction of Jerusalem; and of what happened to the disciples of Christ in the first times of the Gospel; and of what Christians have endured under antichrist down to the present times: but it is best to understand it of the Jews in Babylon; representing their sorrowful case, as represented by the prophet; entreating that the Lord would remember the affliction they were under, and deliver them out of it, that which he had determined should come upon them. So the Targum, "remember, O Lord, what was decreed should be unto us;'' and what he had long threatened should come upon them; and which they had reason to fear would come, though they put away the evil day far from them; but now it was come, and it lay heavy upon them; and therefore they desire it might be taken off: consider, and behold our reproach: cast upon them by their enemies; and the rather the Lord is entreated to look upon and consider that, since his name was concerned in it, and it was for his sake, and because of the true religion they professed; also the disgrace they were in, being carried into a foreign country for their sins; and so were in contempt by all the nations around.
Open source ↗Supplication and statement regarding the distress. The quest made in Lam 5:1 refers to the oppression depicted in what follows. The words, "Remember, O Lord, what hath happened (i.e., befallen) us," are more fully explained in the second member, "Look and behold our disgrace." It is quite arbitrary in Thenius to refer the first member to the past, the second to the present, described in what follows, Lam 5:12-16. The Qeri הבּיטה is an unnecessary alteration, after Lam 1:11; Lam 3:63. - With Lam 5:2 begins the description of the disgrace that has befallen them. This consists, first of all, in the fact that their inheritance has become the possession of strangers. Rosenmller rightly explains נחלה to mean, terra quae tuo nobis dono quandam est concessa. נחפך is used of the transference of the property to others, as in Isa 60:5. Many expositors would refer בּתּינוּ to the houses in Jerusalem which the Chaldeans had not destroyed, on the ground that it is stated, in Kg2 25:9 and Jer 52:13, that the Chaldeans destroyed none but large houses. There is no foundation, however, for this restriction; moreover, it is opposed by the parallel נחלתנוּ. Just as by נחלה we are to understand, not merely the possession of Jerusalem, but of the whole country, so also בּתּינוּ are the dwelling-houses of the country in towns and villages; in this case, the question whether any houses still remained standing in Jerusalem does not demand consideration at all. Ngelsbach is wrong in his remark that נחלה and בּתּים respectively mean immovable and portable property, for houses are certainly not moveable property. Lam 5:3 Lam 5:3 is very variously interpreted by modern expositors. Ewald and Vaihinger understand "father" as meaning the king, while Thenius refers it specially to Zedekiah; the "mothe…
Open source ↗Is any afflicted? let him pray; and let him in prayer pour out his complaint to God, and make known before him his trouble. The people of God do so here; being overwhelmed with grief, they give vent to their sorrows at the footstool of the throne of grace, and so give themselves ease. They complain not of evils feared, but of evils felt: "Remember what has come upon us, Lam 5:1. What was of old threatened against us, and was long in the coming, has now at length come upon us, and we are ready to sink under it. Remember what is past, consider and behold what is present, and let not all the trouble we are in seem little to thee, and not worth taking notice of," Neh 9:32. Note, As it is a great comfort to us, so it ought to be a sufficient one, in our troubles, that God sees, and considers, and remembers, all that has come upon us; and in our prayers we need only to recommend our case to his gracious and compassionate consideration. The one word in which all their grievances are summer up is reproach: Consider, and behold our reproach. The troubles they were in compared with their former dignity and plenty, were a greater reproach to them than they would have been to any other people, especially considering their relation to God and dependence upon him, and his former appearances for them; and therefore this they complain of very sensibly, because, as it was a reproach, it reflected upon the name and honour of that God who had owned them for his people. And what wilt thou do unto thy great name? I. They acknowledge the reproach of sin which they bear, the reproach of their youth (which Ephraim bemoans himself for, Jer 31:19), of the early days of their nation. This comes in in the midst of their complaints (Lam 5:7), but may well be put in the front of them: Our fathers ha…
Open source ↗5:1-22 This chapter is a heartfelt prayer for restoration (cp. Dan 9:4-19).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
זָכַר (zâkar, H2142) — properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention;… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God נָבַט (nâbaṭ, H5027) — to scan, i.e. look intently at; by implication, to regard with pleasure, favor or care רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied,… חֶרְפָּה (cherpâh, H2781) — contumely, disgrace, the pudenda
Open source ↗נַחֲלָה (nachălâh, H5159) — properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom;… הָפַךְ (hâphak, H2015) — to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert זוּר (zûwr, H2114) — to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be aforeigner, strange, profane;… בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) נׇכְרִי (nokrîy, H5237) — strange, in a variety of degrees and applications (foreign, non-relative, adulterous,…
Open source ↗יָתוֹם (yâthôwm, H3490) — a bereaved person אַיִן (ʼayin, H369) — a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle אָב (ʼâb, H1) — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application אֵם (ʼêm, H517) — a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively… אַלְמָנָה (ʼalmânâh, H490) — a widow; also a desolate place
Open source ↗שָׁתָה (shâthâh, H8354) — to imbibe (literally or figuratively) מַיִם (mayim, H4325) — water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen כֶּסֶף (keçeph, H3701) — silver (from its pale color); by implication, money עֵץ (ʻêts, H6086) — a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks) בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) מְחִיר (mᵉchîyr, H4242) — price, payment, wages
Open source ↗צַוָּאר (tsavvâʼr, H6677) — the back of the neck (as that on which burdens are bound) רָדַף (râdaph, H7291) — to run after (usually with hostile intent; figuratively (of time) gone by) יָגַע (yâgaʻ, H3021) — properly, to gasp; hence, to be exhausted, to tire, to toil נוּחַ (nûwach, H5117) — to rest, i.e. settle down; used in a great variety of applications, literal and…
Open source ↗נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), מִצְרַיִם (Mitsrayim, H4714) — Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt אַשּׁוּר (ʼAshshûwr, H804) — Ashshur, the second son of Shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them… שָׂבַע (sâbaʻ, H7646) — to sate, i.e. fill to satisfaction (literally or figuratively) לֶחֶם (lechem, H3899) — food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)
Open source ↗אָב (ʼâb, H1) — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application חָטָא (châṭâʼ, H2398) — properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit,… אַיִן (ʼayin, H369) — a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle סָבַל (çâbal, H5445) — to carry (literally or figuratively), or (reflexively) be burdensome; specifically, to be… עָוֺן (ʻâvôn, H5771) — perversity, i.e. (moral) evil
Open source ↗עֶבֶד (ʻebed, H5650) — a servant מָשַׁל (mâshal, H4910) — to rule פָּרַק (pâraq, H6561) — to break off or crunch; figuratively, to deliver יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
Open source ↗בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) לֶחֶם (lechem, H3899) — food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it) נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in… פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… חֶרֶב (chereb, H2719) — drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or… מִדְבָּר (midbâr, H4057) — a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also…
Open source ↗עוֹר (ʻôwr, H5785) — skin (as naked); by implication, hide, leather כָּמַר (kâmar, H3648) — properly, to intertwine or contract, i.e. (by implication) to shrivel (as with heat);… תַּנּוּר (tannûwr, H8574) — a fire-pot פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… זַלְעָפָה (zalʻâphâh, H2152) — a glow (of wind or anger); also a famine (as consuming) רָעָב (râʻâb, H7458) — hunger (more or less extensive)
Open source ↗עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6031) — to depress literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various… אִשָּׁה (ʼishshâh, H802) — a woman צִיּוֹן (Tsîyôwn, H6726) — Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of Jerusalem בְּתוּלָה (bᵉthûwlâh, H1330) — a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a… עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere… יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the…
Open source ↗שַׂר (sar, H8269) — a head person (of any rank or class) תָּלָה (tâlâh, H8518) — to suspend (especially to gibbet) יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… זָקֵן (zâqên, H2205) — old הָדַר (hâdar, H1921) — to swell up (literally or figuratively, active or passive); by implication, to favor or…
Open source ↗נָשָׂא (nâsâʼ, H5375) — to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative בָּחוּר (bâchûwr, H970) — properly, selected, i.e. a youth (often collective) טְחוֹן (ṭᵉchôwn, H2911) — a hand mill; hence, a millstone נַעַר (naʻar, H5288) — (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a… כָּשַׁל (kâshal, H3782) — to totter or waver (through weakness of the legs, especially the ankle); by implication,… עֵץ (ʻêts, H6086) — a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks)
Open source ↗זָקֵן (zâqên, H2205) — old שָׁבַת (shâbath, H7673) — to repose, i.e. desist from exertion; used in many implied relations (causative,… שַׁעַר (shaʻar, H8179) — an opening, i.e. door or gate בָּחוּר (bâchûwr, H970) — properly, selected, i.e. a youth (often collective) נְגִינָה (nᵉgîynâh, H5058) — properly, instrumental music; by implication, a stringed instrument; by extension, a poem…
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Remember my affliction and wandering, the wormwood and the gall.
All who pass by clap their hands at you in scorn. They hiss and shake their heads at the Daughter of Jerusalem: “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?”
Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.
O LORD, You have heard their insults, all their plots against me—
We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those around us.
You understand, O LORD; remember me and attend to me. Avenge me against my persecutors. In Your patience, do not take me away. Know that I endure reproach for Your honor.
O LORD, I have heard the report of You; I stand in awe, O LORD, of Your deeds. Revive them in these years; make them known in these years. In Your wrath, remember mercy!
Pay back into the laps of our neighbors sevenfold the reproach they hurled at You, O Lord.
Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness.
Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?