John Calvin Commentary Lamentations 5:16

"The crown is fallen from our head: Woe unto us! for we have sinned." — Lamentations 5:16 (ASV)

By the crown of the head, he no doubt understands all those ornaments with which those people had been adorned. They had a kingdom and a priesthood, which were like two luminaries or two precious jewels; they had also other things by which the Lord had adorned them. Since, then, they were endowed with such excellent things, they are said to have worn a crown on their head. But a crown was not only understood as a diadem—it was also a symbol of joy and honor, for not only kings then wore crowns, but men were crowned at weddings and feasts, at games also, and theatres. The Prophet, in short, complains that although many ornaments belonged to the people, yet now they were stripped of them all: The crown, he says, has fallen from our head.

He then exclaims, Woe to us now, for we have sinned! Here he sets forth an extreme misery and, at the same time, shows that all hope of restoration was taken away. He, however, mentions the cause, because they had done wickedly. By saying this, he did not intend to exasperate their sorrow, so that those who were thus afflicted might murmur against God; but, on the contrary, his object was to humble the afflicted, so that they might perceive that they were justly punished. It is as though he had summoned them as guilty before the tribunal of God and pronounced in one word that they justly suffered or sustained so grievous a punishment, for a just God is an avenger of wickedness.

We therefore conclude that when he said yesterday that the fathers who had sinned were dead, and their iniquity was borne by their children, he did not speak in such a way as to exempt the living from all blame, for here he condemns them and includes himself in the number. But I explained yesterday the meaning of that verse, and here the Prophet genuinely confesses that the people were justly punished because they had provoked God's wrath by their sins.

And this doctrine should be carefully observed, because when we are pressed down by adversities, Satan will incite us to sorrow and, at the same time, hurry us into rage, unless this doctrine comes to our minds: that we have to do with God, who is a righteous Judge. For the knowledge of our sins will tame our pride and also check all those clamorous complaints which the unbelieving are accustomed to utter when they rise up against God. Our evils, then, should lead us to consider God’s judgment and to confess our sins; and this was the aim which our Prophet had in view.