Verse 3

We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.

We — We are all of us without a king, (our common father) we are deprived of thy fatherly protection, and many young children among us are left without an earthly parent.

Verse 4

We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.

Sold — Whereas at other times there was abundance of wood and water throughout Judea.

Verse 6

We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.

We — The ten tribes were all carried captives into Assyria, and many of the kingdom of Judah fled into Egypt. Giving the hand may signify labouring for them: or, yielding up themselves to their power.

Verse 7

Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.

Their iniquities — The punishment of them.

Verse 9

We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.

The sword — The enemies lay encamped in all the plains, so that they could stir out no way but the sword of the Chaldeans was upon them.

Verse 13

They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.

Fell — Not being able to stand under the burdens laid upon them.

Verse 16

The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!

The crown — All our honour, splendor and dignity.

Verse 19

Thou, O LORD, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.

Thy throne — Altho' for our sins thou sufferest our throne to be cast down, yet thou art the same, thy power is not diminished, nor thy goodness abated.

Verse 21

Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

Renew — Restore us to our former estate.