ScriptureDepth's study of Lamentations 5
“Turn us to yourself, Yahweh, and we will be turned. Renew our days as of old.”
Lamentations 5:21
The people of Judah plead with Yahweh to turn them back to Himself, committing to renewal as they face despair and the desolation of Zion.
What Lamentations 5 is about
The people call upon Yahweh to remember their suffering and reproach (vv. 1-3). They describe their desperate conditions as their inheritance is given to strangers, and they experience hunger and despair. They acknowledge their sins, stating that their forefathers have sinned, leading to their current suffering (vv. 7-10). The people express grief over the violence and shame they have endured, highlighting the ravaging of women and loss of honor among leaders (vv. 11-15). They mourn the loss of joy and the crown of their glory due to their sins, while their hearts grow faint and their eyes dim because of despair (vv. 16-18). They appeal to Yahweh, acknowledging His eternal reign, and beseech Him to renew their days (vv. 19-22). They feel forsaken, crying out for restoration amid their anguish.
The chapter leaves the reader with a plea for renewal and a sense of abandonment from Yahweh.
Lamentations 5 at a glance
- Lamentations 5:1–3Plea for God's Attention
- Lamentations 5:4–6Desperate Conditions
- Lamentations 5:7–10Acknowledgment of Sin
- Lamentations 5:11–15Suffering and Mourning
- Lamentations 5:16–18Crown of Despair
- Lamentations 5:19–22Appeal for Renewal
Key verse: Lamentations 5:21
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
Read Lamentations 5 (WEB)
Plea for God's Attention Lamentations 5:1–3
1Verse 1. Remember, Yahweh, what has come on us.Look, and see our reproach.2Verse 2. Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,our houses to aliens.3Verse 3. We are orphans and fatherless.Our mothers are as widows.
Desperate Conditions Lamentations 5:4–6
4Verse 4. We have drunken our water for money.Our wood is sold to us.5Verse 5. Our pursuers are on our necks.We are weary, and have no rest.6Verse 6. We have given our hands to the Egyptians,and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
Acknowledgment of Sin Lamentations 5:7–10
7Verse 7. Our fathers sinned, and are no more.We have borne their iniquities.8Verse 8. Servants rule over us.There is no one to deliver us out of their hand.9Verse 9. We get our bread at the peril of our lives,because of the sword of the wilderness.10Verse 10. Our skin is black like an oven,because of the burning heat of famine.
Suffering and Mourning Lamentations 5:11–15
11Verse 11. They ravished the women in Zion,the virgins in the cities of Judah.12Verse 12. Princes were hanged up by their hands.The faces of elders were not honored.13Verse 13. The young men carry millstones.The children stumbled under loads of wood.14Verse 14. The elders have ceased from the gate,and the young men from their music.15Verse 15. The joy of our heart has ceased.Our dance is turned into mourning.
Crown of Despair Lamentations 5:16–18
16Verse 16. The crown has fallen from our head.Woe to us, for we have sinned!17Verse 17. For this our heart is faint.For these things our eyes are dim.18Verse 18. For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate.The foxes walk on it.
Appeal for Renewal Lamentations 5:19–22
19Verse 19. You, Yahweh, remain forever.Your throne is from generation to generation.20Verse 20. Why do you forget us forever,and forsake us for so long a time?21Verse 21. Turn us to yourself, Yahweh, and we will be turned.Renew our days as of old.22Verse 22. But you have utterly rejected us.You are very angry against us.
World English Bible (public domain)
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Main themes in Lamentations 5
lament
Lamentations 5 opens with a heartfelt plea in verses 1-3, where the people ask, 'Remember, Yahweh, what has come on us.' This cry expresses deep sorrow over their situation, depicting a community stripped of its identity and security, as they declare, 'Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers.' Throughout the chapter, lament is evident in the vivid descriptions of suffering and despair.
restoration
In verses 21-22, the people plead, 'Turn us to yourself, Yahweh, and we will be turned.' This plea expresses their longing for a return to former days, indicating a deep desire for renewal and restoration. They acknowledge their dire state, seeking to rekindle their relationship with Yahweh, which is central to their hope for restoration from their current suffering.
repentance
Repentance surfaces in verses 7-10, where the people acknowledge that 'Our fathers sinned, and are no more,' indicating a recognition of their collective sinfulness. They bear the weight of their ancestors' iniquities, suggesting a desire for accountability and change. Verse 16 further articulates this theme as they lament, 'Woe to us, for we have sinned,' marking an important acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
Explore repentance in the Bible →divine mercy
In verses 19-22, the people implore Yahweh, asking, 'Why do you forget us forever, and forsake us for so long a time?' This appeal conveys their hope that, despite their suffering, God can still show compassion. Their plea culminates in a recognition of God's eternal nature, highlighting their dependence on His mercy amid their despair.
Chapter outline
How Lamentations 5 unfolds
Lamentations 5:1–3 Plea for God's Attention
The people cry out to Yahweh in ‘Remember, Yahweh, what has come on us’ (v. 1) and plead for His attention to their shame and suffering.
Lamentations 5:4–6 Desperate Conditions
The verses describe the dire situation where the people are forced to pay for ‘water for money’ (v. 4) and are oppressed by pursuers, leaving them without rest (v. 5).
Lamentations 5:7–10 Acknowledgment of Sin
The people confess, ‘Our fathers sinned, and are no more. We have borne their iniquities’ (v. 7), recounting the burden of ancestral sin while lamenting that ‘Servants rule over us’ (v. 8) and the threat they face in seeking sustenance.
Lamentations 5:11–15 Suffering and Mourning
The suffering manifests in the violence against women (‘ravished the women in Zion’ v. 11) and the mourning of the elders and young men, as joy has turned into mourning (v. 15).
Lamentations 5:16–18 Crown of Despair
The people mourn the loss of dignity, stating, ‘The crown has fallen from our head’ (v. 16) and recognize their sin as the source of their despair (v. 16).
Lamentations 5:19–22 Appeal for Renewal
The appeal for renewal emphasizes Yahweh’s eternal nature (‘You, Yahweh, remain forever’ v. 19) while the people plead for Him to turn them back, expressing their deep longing for restoration.
Key verses
Lamentations 5:21The people of Judah plead with Yahweh to turn them back to Himself, committing to renewal as they face despair and the desolation of Zion.
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Study questions
Questions for studying Lamentations 5
- observeIn v2, what has happened to the 'inheritance' of the people?
- observeWhat is the condition of the people described in v4 regarding their water and wood?
- interpretIn v7, what does it mean that 'our fathers sinned' while the current generation bears their iniquities?
- interpretIn v19, how does the mention of God's eternal throne contrast with the people’s sense of abandonment?
- applyWhen have you felt like an 'orphan' or 'fatherless' as described in v3?
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Cross-references
Passages that echo Lamentations 5
- Jeremiah 31Lamentations 5:7 and Jeremiah 31:29Both acknowledge the burden of sin: Lamentations 5:7 says, 'We have borne their iniquities,' while Jeremiah 31:29 states, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes.'
- Psalm 80Lamentations 5:21 and Psalm 80:3Both express a desire for divine attention: Lamentations 5:21 calls, 'Turn us to yourself, Yahweh,' while Psalm 80:3 pleads, 'Turn us again, God.'
- Lamentations 1Lamentations 5:5 and Lamentations 1:14Both illustrate the weight of oppression: Lamentations 5:5 says, 'Our pursuers are on our necks,' while Lamentations 1:14 states, 'The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand.'
- Deuteronomy 28Lamentations 5:2 and Deuteronomy 28:30Both depict loss of inheritance: Lamentations 5:2 states, 'Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,' while Deuteronomy 28:30 warns, 'You will build a house, and you won’t dwell in it.'
- Lamentations 4Lamentations 5:10 and Lamentations 4:8Both present imagery of suffering: Lamentations 5:10 states, 'Our skin is black like an oven,' while Lamentations 4:8 says, 'Their appearance is blacker than a coal.'
- Psalm 13Lamentations 5:20 and Psalm 13:1Both express a sense of abandonment: Lamentations 5:20 asks, 'Why do you forget us forever?' while Psalm 13:1 questions, 'How long, Yahweh? Will you forget me forever?'
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