5:1 Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: a consider, and
behold our reproach.
(a) This prayer as is thought, was made when some of the
people were carried away captive, others such as the
poorest remained, and some went into Egypt and other
places for comfort, though it seems that the prophet
foreseeing their miseries to come, thus prayed.
5:4 We have drank our b water for money; our wood is sold to
us.
(b) Meaning their extreme servitude and bondage.
5:6 We have given the c hand [to] the Egyptians, [and to] the
Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
(c) We are joined in league and amity with them, or have
submitted ourselves to them.
5:7 Our fathers have sinned, [and are] not; and we have borne
d their iniquities.
(d) As our fathers have been punished for their sins: so we
that are guilty of the same sins are punished.
5:9 We procured our bread with [the peril of] our lives because
of the sword e of the wilderness.
(e) Because of the enemy that came from the wilderness and
would not suffer us to go and seek our necessary food.
5:12 Princes were hung up by f their hand: the faces of elders
were not honoured.
(f) That is, by the enemies hand.
5:13 They took the young men to grind, and the children fell
under g the wood.
(g) Their slavery was so great, that they were not able to
abide it.
5:14 The elders have ceased from the h gate, the young men
from their music.
(h) There were no more laws nor form of commonwealth.
5:17 For this our heart is faint; for these [things] our i
eyes are dim.
(i) With weeping.
5:19 Thou, O LORD, remainest for k ever; thy throne from
generation to generation.
(k) And therefore your covenant and mercies can never fail.
5:21l Turn thou us to thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned;
renew our days as of old.
(l) By which is declared that it is not in man's power to
turn to God, but is only his work to convert us, and
thus God works in us before we can turn to him,
(Jer 31:18).
