Lamentations 1:19 (GNV)

Passage

I called for my louers, but they deceiued me: my Priestes and mine Elders perished in the citie while they sought their meate to refresh their soules.

Nearby Context

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.

Lamentations 1:19 I called for my louers, but they deceiued me: my Priestes and mine Elders perished in the citie while they sought their meate to refresh their soules.

Lamentations 1:20 Behold, O Lord, howe I am troubled: my bowels swell: mine heart is turned within me, for I am ful of heauinesse: the sword spoyleth abroad, as death doeth at home.

Lamentations 1:21 They haue heard that I mourne, but there is none to comfort mee: all mine enemies haue heard of my trouble, and are glad, that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day, that thou hast pronounced, and they shalbe like vnto me.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "louers", "deceiued", "priestes", "mine", "elders", "perished", and "citie". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "called" and "louers", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "The Lord is righteous for I haue..." into verse 20's "Behold O Lord howe I am troubled...", so "called" and "louers" 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 "called" and "louers" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.