Lamentations 1:16 (GNV)

Passage

For these things I weepe: mine eye, euen mine eye casteth out water, because the comforter that should refresh my soule, is farre from me: my children are desolate, because the enemie preuailed.

Nearby Context

Lamentations 1:14 The yoke of my transgressions is bounde vpon his hand: they are wrapped, and come vp vpon my necke: hee hath made my strength to fall: the Lord hath deliuered me into their hands, neither am I able to rise vp.

Lamentations 1:15 The Lord hath troden vnder foote all my valiant men in the middes of me: he hath called an assembly against me to destroy my yong men: the Lord hath troden the wine presse vpon the virgine the daughter of Iudah.

Lamentations 1:16 For these things I weepe: mine eye, euen mine eye casteth out water, because the comforter that should refresh my soule, is farre from me: my children are desolate, because the enemie preuailed.

Lamentations 1:17 Zion stretcheth out her handes, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath appoynted the enemies of Iaakob rounde about him: Ierusalem is as a menstruous woman in the middes of them.

Lamentations 1:18 The Lord is righteous: for I haue rebelled against his commandement: heare, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorowe: my virgins and my yong men are gone into captiuitie.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "things", "weepe", "mine", "euen", "casteth", "water", and "comforter". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "things" and "weepe", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "The Lord hath troden vnder foote all..." into verse 17's "Zion stretcheth out her handes and there...", so "things" and "weepe" belong inside that flow. In Lamentations context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "things" and "weepe" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.