Bible Commentaries
Lamentations 1

Verse 1

How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!

A widow — She that had a king, or rather a God, that was an husband to her, now was forsaken of God, and her king taken from her.

Verse 3

Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.

Because — Because of the servitude and oppression exercised among them: oppression by their rulers, and servitude more generally; keeping their servants beyond the year of jubilee, when they ought to be set at liberty.

The straits — Those that pursued them overtook them in places where they could not escape.

Verse 4

The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.

She — Persons of all ages and ranks are in bitterness.

Verse 10

The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.

Pleasant things — Has laid violent hands on them. The things of the sanctuary were always pleasant things to those that feared God.

Verse 11

All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.

Bread — Even in a land that ordinarily flowed with milk and honey, they were at a loss for bread to eat.

Given — And gave any thing for something to satisfy their hunger.

Vile — Miserable or contemptible.

Verse 12

Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

Is it nothing — The prophet speaks in the name of the Jewish church.

Verse 13

From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.

Fire — A judgment as consuming, and afflictive as fire.

Verse 14

The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.

Is bound — Put upon my neck on account of my transgressions.

Wreathed — My punishments are twisted as cords; I have a complication of judgments upon me, sword, famine, pestilence, captivity.

Verse 15

The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.

An assembly — God had called an assembly of Chaldeans against the city, to crush the inhabitants of it.

Trodden — God had trodden upon the Jews as men use to stamp grapes in a wine-press.

Verse 16

For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.

The comforter — God.

Verse 17

Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.

Jerusalem — Is become loathsome and filthy.

Verse 19

I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.

Deceived — They did not answer my expectation.

Verse 20

Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.

Death — By famine and pestilence.

Verse 21

They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.

They — The neighbouring nations.

Like me — But thou hast foretold their destruction also, and hast by me proclaimed it: and thou shalt in that day bring them into as sad a condition as I am in now.