12 "Is it nothing to all you who pass this way ? Look and see if there is any [1]pain like my [1]pain Which was severely dealt out to me, Which the Lord inflicted on the day of His fierce anger . 13 "From on high He sent fire into my bones , And it [3]prevailed over them. He has spread a net for my feet ; He has turned me back ; He has made me desolate , [4]Faint all day long. 14 "The yoke of my transgressions is bound ; By His hand they are knit together . They have come upon my neck ; He has made my strength [5]fail . The Lord has given me into the hands Of those against whom I am not able to stand . 15 "The Lord has rejected all my strong men In my midst ; He has called an appointed [6]time against me To crush my young men ; The Lord has trodden as in a wine press The virgin daughter of Judah . 16 "For these things I weep ; [7]My eyes run down with water ; Because far from me is a comforter , One who restores my soul . My children are desolate Because the enemy has prevailed ." 17 Zion stretches out her hands ; There is no one to comfort her; The Lord has commanded concerning Jacob That the ones round about him should be his adversaries ; Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them. 18 "The Lord is righteous ; For I have rebelled against His [8]command ; Hear now , all peoples , And behold my [9]pain ; My virgins and my young men Have gone into captivity . 19 "I called to my lovers , but they deceived me; My priests and my elders perished in the city While they sought food to restore [10]their strength themselves. 20 "See , O Lord , for I am in distress ; My [11] spirit is greatly troubled ; My heart is overturned within me, For I have been very rebellious . In the street the sword [12]slays ; In the house it is like death . 21 "They have heard that I groan ; There is no one to comfort me; All my enemies have heard of my [13]calamity ; They are glad that You have done it. Oh, that You would bring the day which You have proclaimed , That they may become like me. 22 "Let all their wickedness come before You; And deal with them as You have dealt with me For all my transgressions ; For my groans are many and my heart is faint ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Lamentations 1:12-22
Commentary on Lamentations 1:12-22
(Read Lamentations 1:12-22)
Jerusalem, sitting dejected on the ground, calls on those that passed by, to consider whether her example did not concern them. Her outward sufferings were great, but her inward sufferings were harder to bear, through the sense of guilt. Sorrow for sin must be great sorrow, and must affect the soul. Here we see the evil of sin, and may take warning to flee from the wrath to come. Whatever may be learned from the sufferings of Jerusalem, far more may be learned from the sufferings of Christ. Does he not from the cross speak to every one of us? Does he not say, Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Let all our sorrows lead us to the cross of Christ, lead us to mark his example, and cheerfully to follow him.