16 The Lord himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.
16 The Lord himself
16 God himself scattered them. No longer does he look out for them. He has nothing to do with the priests; he cares nothing for the elders.
16 The face of the Lord scattered them; He no longer regards them. The people do not respect the priests Nor show favor to the elders.
16 The Lord himself has scattered them, and he no longer helps them. People show no respect for the priests and no longer honor the leaders.
12 Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured.
12 Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders are shown no respect.
12 Princes are hung up by their hands; no respect is shown to the elders.
12 They hanged our princes by their hands, dishonored our elders.
12 Princes were hung up by their hands, And elders were not respected.
12 Our princes are being hanged by their thumbs, and our elders are treated with contempt.
(Read Lamentations 5:1-16)
Is any afflicted? Let him pray; and let him in prayer pour out his complaint to God. The people of God do so here; they complain not of evils feared, but of evils felt. If penitent and patient under what we suffer for the sins of our fathers, we may expect that He who punishes, will return in mercy to us. They acknowledge, Woe unto us that we have sinned! All our woes are owing to our own sin and folly. Though our sins and God's just displeasure cause our sufferings, we may hope in his pardoning mercy, his sanctifying grace, and his kind providence. But the sins of a man's whole life will be punished with vengeance at last, unless he obtains an interest in Him who bare our sins in his own body on the tree.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Lamentations 4:16
Commentary on Lamentations 4:13-20
(Read Lamentations 4:13-20)
Nothing ripens a people more for ruin, nor fills the measure faster, than the sins of priests and prophets. The king himself cannot escape, for Divine vengeance pursues him. Our anointed King alone is the life of our souls; we may safely live under his shadow, and rejoice in Him in the midst of our enemies, for He is the true God and eternal life.