Lamentations 5

*Unlike the 1st 4 chapters of Lamentations, this chapter is not in a Hebrew acrostic format (though it was still, later, divided into 22 verses).

This chapter is about the feeling that God is not present (5:1)
When such a time comes, we must decide whether we will:

1) Turn to Him
2) Turn away from Him

When we feel homeless (2)
When we feel fatherless (3)
When we feel husbandless (3)
When we feel thirsty (4)
When we feel attacked (5)
When we feel tired (5)
When we feel dependant (6)
When we feel cursed (7)
When we feel hopeless (8)
When we feel scared (9)
When we feel sick (10)
When we feel overwhelmed (11)
When we feel disprespected (12)
When we feel we're weakening (13)
When we feel downcast (14-15)

The Jews, post 586BC, felt all these things
But would they turn to God or not?
They, at least, realized their sin (16)
In that sense, the judgment produced the desired effect

1) They recognized their lowliness (17-18)
2) They recognized God's greatness (19)

But was it too late? (22)

Traditionally, Jews re-read verse 21 after verse 22, unable to end a Scripture reading on such a sour note. Nevertheless, Jeremiah ended with verse 22 for a reason. There was a deliberate tension.