Lamentations — Chapter 5

Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach. The opening anamnesis: God is asked to 'remember' (zechor) — not as if He had forgotten, but as a petition for Him to act on His remembrance. Lapide: 'Remember' in Biblical prayer = 'Act in accordance with your covenant memory.' The entire prayer is a series of such reminders of Israel's destitution.

The joy of our heart is ceased, our dancing is turned into mourning. All festivity ended by the Chaldean destruction. Applied to the spiritual desolation when God withdraws His consolations from the soul.

Convert us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall be converted: renew our days, as from the beginning. The final prayer: 'Convert us' (Converte nos) = not 'let us convert ourselves' but 'You must turn us, then we will be turned.' Lapide: the Augustinian theology of prevenient grace is here fully expressed — conversion must begin with God's initiative, then the human will cooperates. Applied to every act of repentance: it must begin with God's converting grace.

But thou hast utterly rejected us: thou art exceedingly angry with us. The enigmatic last verse: either a genuine expression of despair ('has God truly rejected us forever?') or (Lapide and Jerome) a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer ('Surely You have NOT rejected us forever!'). The liturgical tradition: the synagogue repeats v.21 after v.22 to end on hope. Lapide: the book ends on this suspended note to express the ongoing tension between God's chastisement and His covenant mercy — not yet resolved until the Messiah comes.