4 The tongue H3956 of the sucking child H3243 cleaveth H1692 to the roof of his mouth H2441 for thirst: H6772 the young children H5768 ask H7592 bread, H3899 and no man breaketh H6566 it unto them.
My strength H3581 is dried up H3001 like a potsherd; H2789 and my tongue H3956 cleaveth H1692 to my jaws; H4455 and thou hast brought H8239 me into the dust H6083 of death. H4194
Mine eyes H5869 do fail H3615 with tears, H1832 my bowels H4578 are troubled, H2560 my liver H3516 is poured H8210 upon the earth, H776 for the destruction H7667 of the daughter H1323 of my people; H5971 because the children H5768 and the sucklings H3243 swoon H5848 in the streets H7339 of the city. H7151 They say H559 to their mothers, H517 Where is corn H1715 and wine? H3196 when they swooned H5848 as the wounded H2491 in the streets H7339 of the city, H5892 when their soul H5315 was poured out H8210 into their mothers' H517 bosom. H2436
If I do not remember H2142 thee, let my tongue H3956 cleave H1692 to the roof of my mouth; H2441 if I prefer H5927 not Jerusalem H3389 above my chief H7218 joy. H8057
All her people H5971 sigh, H584 they seek H1245 bread; H3899 they have given H5414 their pleasant things H4261 H4262 for meat H400 to relieve H7725 the soul: H5315 see, H7200 O LORD, H3068 and consider; H5027 for I am become vile. H2151
Or G2228 what G5101 man G444 is G2076 there of G1537 you, G5216 whom G3739 if G1437 his G846 son G5207 ask G154 bread, G740 will he give G3361 G1929 him G846 a stone? G3037 Or G2532 if G1437 he ask G154 a fish, G2486 will he give G3361 G1929 him G846 a serpent? G3789 If G1487 ye G5210 then, G3767 being G5607 evil, G4190 know G1492 how to give G1325 good G18 gifts G1390 unto your G5216 children, G5043 how much G4214 more G3123 shall your G5216 Father G3962 which G3588 is in G1722 heaven G3772 give G1325 good things G18 to them that ask G154 him? G846
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Lamentations 4
Commentary on Lamentations 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
This chapter is another single alphabet of Lamentations for the destruction of Jerusalem, like those in the first two chapters.
Lam 4:1-12
The elegy in this chapter begins with a lamentation of the very sad and doleful change which the judgments of God had made in Jerusalem. The city that was formerly as gold, as the most fine gold, so rich and splendid, the perfection of beauty and the joy of the whole earth, has become dim, and is changed, has lost its lustre, lost its value, is not what it was; it has become dross. Alas! what an alteration is here!
Lam 4:13-20
We have here,
Lam 4:21-22
David's psalms of lamentation commonly conclude with some word of comfort, which is as life from the dead and light shining out of darkness; so does this lamentation here in this chapter. The people of God are now in great distress, their aspects all doleful, their prospects all frightful, and their ill-natured neighbours the Edomites insult over them and do all they can to exasperate their destroyers against them. Such was their violence against their brother Jacob (Obad. 10), such their spleen at Jerusalem, of which they cried, Rase it, rase it, Ps. 137:7. Now it is here foretold, for the encouragement of God's people,