Thomas Aquinas Commentary Lamentations 1:20

"Behold, O Jehovah; for I am in distress; my heart is troubled; My heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: Abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death." — Lamentations 1:20 (ASV)

Here he begins to complain to the Judge himself, and in this matter, he does three things.

1. He exposes his own misery.
2. He denounces the fault of his enemies, where it says, they have heard that I sigh (Lamentations 1:21).
3. He seeks vengeance, where it says, let all their evil be present before you (Lamentations 1:22).

Regarding the first point, he does three things.

1. He draws attention: behold, O Lord. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am afflicted (Psalms 30:10).
2. He presents his sorrow under the metaphor of internal pain and anguish of heart: troubled, which he explains: for I am full of bitterness. My bowels are in pain (Jeremiah 4:19). For the Almighty has quite filled me with bitterness (Ruth 1:20).
3. He gives the reason for this sorrow: without, the sword destroys. Without, the sword shall lay them waste, and terror within (Deuteronomy 32:25).