Lamentations 5:1-3
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This isn't just a cry of pain, but a bold appeal to God's honor. The people aren't just asking God to see their suffering, but to behold their disgrace, implying that their shame reflects poorly on God Himself as their protector.
Remember, O LORD, what has befallen us; look, and see our disgrace! Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners. We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This chapter marks a shift from lament to prayer, with the people of Judah crying out to God amidst their profound disgrace and suffering. Following the descriptions of their devastated homeland and the hardships they endure, this verse opens a plea to God, asking Him to acknowledge their brokenness and consider the shame they face from the nations. It serves as an urgent appeal for divine remembrance and intervention in their desperate situation.
When life feels like a total disaster, it's easy to feel forgotten. This verse begins with a raw, desperate plea for God to remember. But what does 'remember' mean in this context?
The cry "Remember, O LORD!" isn't just a casual reminder, like us forgetting where we put our keys. In the Bible, God 'remembering' His people is deeply tied to His covenant promises and His steadfast love. It means recalling His commitments, His faithfulness, and His desire to act on behalf of those who are His.
Think of it like this:
The people aren't just suffering; they're suffering with a profound sense of shame. What does this 'disgrace' reveal about their state and their understanding of God's honor?
The second part of the verse focuses on "our disgrace." This isn't just personal embarrassment; it's a deep, collective shame that hits at the very identity of Israel as God's chosen people. Their suffering and humiliation in front of the nations were a stain not only on them but, in their eyes, on God Himself.
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Consider the layers of this disgrace:
When they ask God to "look, and see our disgrace," they are not just asking Him to witness their pain, but to acknowledge the dishonor that has been cast upon His name through their suffering.
Understand the original words
zakar · Hebrew Verb
To bring to mind or call upon God to act based on His covenant promises and past dealings with His people. It is a plea for God to intervene in the present misery of His people.
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The Sovereign Ruler of the universe, the covenant name of God (Yahweh), who is personal, faithful, and holy. He is the One to whom the covenant people appeal in their distress.
cherpah · Hebrew Noun
A state of shame, dishonor, or reproach, often resulting from sin or divine judgment. It signifies being stripped of honor or status before God and men.
nachalah · Hebrew Noun
The portion of land or blessings promised by God to His people as a covenant possession. In this context, it refers to the Promised Land (Canaan) being taken away.
zar · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
Refers to those outside the covenant community of Israel, often heathens or pagan nations who do not acknowledge the God of Israel. Their control over the land signifies divine judgment.
yatom · Hebrew Noun
One who has lost their father, symbolizing a state of extreme vulnerability, lack of protection, and social helplessness in ancient Near Eastern society.
almanah · Hebrew Noun
A woman whose husband has died, often characterized in the Bible by her need for protection and provision from God and the community, as she lacked male guardianship.
This prayer comes at the absolute nadir of Jewish history, after the utter destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. It's a cry from people who have lost everything, facing shame and disgrace, appealing to God's mercy amidst their profound suffering.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation of Judean Elites
Under King Nebuchadnezzar II, many talented Judeans, including Daniel, were deported to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile. This event significantly weakened Jerusalem's leadership and resources.
597 BC
Second Deportation
Following a rebellion by King Jehoiachin, Nebuchadnezzar again deported a large number of Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin himself, further diminishing Judah's strength and sovereignty.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces finally conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the city and the Temple, and exiled the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This event represents the ultimate catastrophe for Judah.
c. 580 BC
Jeremiah Composes Lamentations
The prophet Jeremiah, witnessing the devastation and suffering of his people in exile or in the ruins of Jerusalem, likely composed the Book of Lamentations, pouring out the grief and repentance of the remnant.
c. 539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, paving the way for the return of the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the Temple and city.
This psalm is a direct prayer for God's intervention amidst national disaster, crying out 'Remember us, O LORD, when it pleases you to favor your people,' echoing the desperate plea of Lamentations 5:1 for God's remembrance.
Job 7:17-18Job questions God's constant attention and scrutiny of his suffering, a sentiment that resonates with the lament in Lamentations 5:1, where the people feel forgotten by God amidst their overwhelming disgrace.
Isaiah 63:15-16This passage also calls out to God with a plea for remembrance, asking Him to 'look down from heaven and see' the suffering of His people, mirroring the exact request and desperation found in Lamentations 5:1.
Jeremiah 14:7-9In another lament, Jeremiah cries out, 'Though our iniquities testify against us, O LORD, act for your own name’s sake! ... O hope of Israel, its Savior in time of trouble, why do you not... look upon our disgrace?' This powerfully parallels the themes of sin, disgrace, and the plea for God's intervention in Lamentations 5:1.
barnesLamentations 5:1: "Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach."
What is come upon us - literally, "what" has happened "to us:" our national disgrace.
clarkeLamentations 5:1: "Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach."
Remember, O Lord - In the Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic, this is headed, "The prayer of Jeremiah." In my old MS. Bible: Here bigynneth the orison of Jeremye the prophete. Though this chapter consists of exactly twenty-two verses, the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet, yet the acrostic form is no longer observed. Perhaps any thing so technical was not thought proper when in agony and distress (und…
This isn't just a cry of pain, but a bold appeal to God's honor. The people aren't just asking God to see their suffering, but to behold their disgrace, implying that their shame reflects poorly on God Himself as their protector.
This chapter marks a shift from lament to prayer, with the people of Judah crying out to God amidst their profound disgrace and suffering. Following the descriptions of their devastated homeland and the hardships they endure, this verse opens a plea to God, asking Him to acknowledge their brokenness and consider the shame they face from the nations. It serves as an urgent appeal for divine remembrance and intervention in their desperate situation.
This chapter marks a shift from lament to prayer, with the people of Judah crying out to God amidst their profound disgrace and suffering. Following the descriptions of their devastated homeland and the hardships they endure, this verse opens a plea to God, asking Him to acknowledge their brokenness and consider the shame they face from the nations. It serves as an urgent appeal for divine remembrance and intervention in their desperate situation.
"Remember, O LORD, what has befallen us; look, and see our disgrace! Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners. We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows." — This isn't just a cry of pain, but a bold appeal to God's honor. The people aren't just asking God to see their suffering, but to behold their disgrace, implying that their shame reflects poorly…
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Last reviewed October 2026
