Lamentations 5:21-22
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This isn't just a wish for things to go back to how they were; the plea is first to be "turned" to God Himself, implying a need for inner change and reconciliation before any external restoration can truly take root. The prayer highlights that true renewal starts with a changed heart, a turning away from sin and back to their relationship with the Lord.
Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old— unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After cataloging all their woes and acknowledging their rebellion, the people of Judah turn to God with a desperate plea. They recognize they can't fix their broken state on their own, so they ask the Lord to turn their hearts back to Him, believing that His turning will lead to their own restoration. This is followed by a longing for their former peace and prosperity, to live in the land as they did in the "days of old."
Feeling stuck? Like you can't quite get back on track no matter how hard you try? This prayer gets it.
The people of Judah are in deep distress, their land ruined, their nation broken. In Lamentations 5:21, they cry out, "Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned." Notice the phrasing: they aren't saying, 'Help us turn ourselves back to you.' They acknowledge their own inability.
Acknowledging Inability
They understand that true change, a genuine 'turning' back to God's favor and guidance, isn't something they can conjure up on their own. It requires a divine initiative. They are asking God to cause their turning. This isn't about a lack of effort, but a profound recognition that spiritual transformation is a gift from God. It's a prayer for God's grace to enable repentance and reconciliation.
They don't just want things to go back to how they were. They're praying for something deeper.
The second part of the prayer is, 'renew our days as of old.' It might sound like a simple wish for nostalgia – 'take us back to the good old days.' But the context gives it much more weight.
Restored Favor and Life
'As of old' points to a time when God's favor was clearly upon them, when life was stable, secure, and blessed under His watch. It wasn't just about reclaiming territory or rebuilding walls; it was about regaining their relationship with God and experiencing the peace and prosperity that flowed from it. It means restoring their relationship with God, their spiritual vitality, and the tangible blessings that accompany His presence.
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Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The Hebrew term for the personal, covenantal name of God, revealing His self-existence, faithfulness, and relationship with His people. It is the name by which God is known as the Redeemer of Israel.
shuv · Hebrew Verb
To return, turn back, or repent; it signifies a fundamental shift in direction, both physically and spiritually, toward God. In a relational context, it implies a restoration to a right standing or fellowship that has been broken.
chadash · Hebrew Verb
To make new, repair, or cause to be as it was in the beginning. In a biblical context, it refers to God's gracious act of reviving or recreating the spiritual vitality of His people or land.
ma'as · Hebrew Verb
To cast off, despise, or treat with contempt. It denotes a formal breaking of a relationship or the formal rejection of someone from a position of favor, often due to covenantal unfaithfulness.
qatsaph · Hebrew Noun/Verb
A strong, heated emotion or feeling of displeasure, often used to describe God's judicial response to sin and rebellion. It is not a capricious emotion but a settled, righteous opposition to evil that must be dealt with.
This prayer comes in the darkest hour, after the utter devastation of Jerusalem and the Temple. It's a cry born from ashes, acknowledging that true restoration isn't just about rebuilding walls or returning home, but about God Himself turning His people back to Him.
722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, scattering its people and ending its existence as an independent state. This event served as a stark warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Under King Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon begins its conquest of Judah, initiating the first wave of exiles, including members of the royal family and educated elite, to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Babylon deports more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel, and plunders the Temple in Jerusalem. This intensified the crisis and the sense of God's judgment.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroy Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple, the heart of Israel's worship and national identity. The majority of the remaining population is exiled to Babylon.
c. 580 BC
Writing of Lamentations
The prophet Jeremiah (or a contemporary) likely composed the book of Lamentations in the aftermath of Jerusalem's fall, capturing the profound grief, national guilt, and desperate plea for restoration.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, paving the way for the return of exiled peoples, including the Judeans, to their homelands.
This passage echoes the prayer in Lamentations, directly asking God to 'turn us, and we shall be turned.' It highlights the profound need for God's initiative in our repentance and restoration.
Psalm 80:3The psalmist cries out, 'Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!' This mirrors the plea in Lamentations for God's favor to be turned back towards His people, leading to their salvation and renewal.
Isaiah 1:26-27Isaiah prophesies a future restoration where leaders will be returned and counselors restored, leading to the city being called 'the faithful city' and 'Zion.' This connects to the 'renew our days as of old' by showing a vision of restored justice and faithfulness after judgment.
Hosea 6:1-2This passage presents a similar plea: 'Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us... After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.' It emphasizes that returning to God is the path to healing and renewed life.
ellicottLamentations 5:21: "Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old."
(21) Turn thou us . . . O Lord . . . —The answer to the problem was found in man’s submission and in prayer. He could not turn himself, and so re-establish the old filial relation. He could ask God to turn him, and he felt that the prayer would not be asked in vain.
pooleLamentations 5:21: "Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old."
See the like expression Jeremiah 31:18 . Turn thou us unto thee by giving us repentance, and then our condition will be altered; or receive us into thy favour, and then it shall be well with us. Renew our days as of old ; restore us to our former estate, that it may be with us as it hath formerly been.
This isn't just a wish for things to go back to how they were; the plea is first to be "turned" to God Himself, implying a need for inner change and reconciliation before any external restoration can truly take root. The prayer highlights that true renewal starts with a changed heart, a turning away from sin and back to their relationship with the Lord.
After cataloging all their woes and acknowledging their rebellion, the people of Judah turn to God with a desperate plea. They recognize they can't fix their broken state on their own, so they ask the Lord to turn their hearts back to Him, believing that His turning will lead to their own restoration. This is followed by a longing for their former peace and prosperity, to live in the land as they did in the "days of old."
After cataloging all their woes and acknowledging their rebellion, the people of Judah turn to God with a desperate plea. They recognize they can't fix their broken state on their own, so they ask the Lord to turn their hearts back to Him, believing that His turning will lead to their own restoration. This is followed by a longing for their former peace and prosperity, to live in the land as they did in the "days of old."
"Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old— unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us." — This isn't just a wish for things to go back to how they were; the plea is first to be "turned" to God Himself, implying a need for inner change and reconciliation before any external restoration c…
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Last reviewed October 2026
