Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembers not her latter end; therefore she came down awesomely: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy has magnified himself.
All Commentaries on Lamentations 1:9 Go To Lamentations 1
Glossa Ordinaria
AD 1480
HER FILTHINESS: he bewails her in a threefold way: since she has sinned against the Lord, since she has not repented, since she after the stings of conscience did not want to return to the Lord, whence: AND SHE HAS NOT REMEBERED HER END &c.
BEHOLD, O LORD: the fourteenth topic of complaint, in which they are implored, who hear, in a humble and sincere address, to have mercy.
Historical interpretation. HER FILTHINESS &c: as if: Jerusalem has become unstable and, exhausted after a long journey, carries HER FILTHINESS ON HER FEET, because she laments more over interior man than over exterior. The feet of the synagogue are the teachers of the law, who ought to lead her along the way, who is Christ, but these feet have been soiled by the filth of crime. AND SHE HAS NOT REMEMBERED HER END, that is Christ, who is the end of the law, unto justice to every one that believes.
Therefore SHE IS VIOLENTLY CAST DOWN. Hence Jerusalem cries out with her own voice: BEHOLD, O LORD &c. For indeed, from the beginning hitherto the prophet has lamented, but henceforth she herself bewails her own distress, humbled and having confessed her sin, which is meant by the letter TETH, that is interpreted ‘good’, whence: It is good for me, O Lord, that thou hast humbled me. She herself being humiliated, however, no longer bears with the prophet, but cries out with sighs and tears: BEHOLD, O LORD &c. In a rhetorical manner, she performs the lamentation with indignation, to move the judge towards her enemies and receive pity herself. Hence she adds: BECAUSE THE ENEMY IS LIFTED UP, namely against you, and he does not reckon your justice, but his own arrogance. As if: ‘BEHOLD first MY AFFLICTION, that you may show pity, not my misdeeds, because of which you become angry, and second, because THE ENEMY IS LIFTED UP, that you may punish.’
Allegorical interpretation. HER FILTHINESS: the Church carries HER FILTHINESS ON HER FEET, because in the misery of this life there is none who would march along without some foulness of vice at least on his feet, with which the earth is touched. From that, the Lord washes the feet of the disciples and bids us mutually to do the same, and he says to the apostles: Shake off the dust from your feet. Nevertheless he washed their feet for them to become excellent and clean and thus to run about the whole world to preach. Of these feet it is said: How beautiful are thy steps in shoes, O prince’s daughter! And elsewhere: Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. HER FILTHINESS, however, IS ON HER FEET, the false life in the preachers, who do not remember their end, the future judgement. Hence they are VIOLENTLY CAST DOWN before the eyes of God, not having the Paraclete, they who ought to console others. Accordingly, turned back and humiliated, they call: BEHOLD, O LORD.
Moral interpretation. HER FILTHINESS IS ON HER FEET: the soul has its FILTHINESS ON HER FEET, namely the filthiness of her vices, she who has lost the splendor of heavenly life and of her former way of life. Hence: Shake thyself from the dust, arise, sit up, O Jerusalem. Indeed, it is necessary that the soul, who seeks earthly acts, has FILTHINESS ON HER FEET, that is on her desires. Hence: For our soul is humbled down to the dust. From this the feet ought to be washed daily, for that not to happen, which follows: She has forgotten HER END, SHE IS VIOLENTLY CAST DOWN, NOT HAVING A COMFORTER. But let the soul say, let the Church say: BEHOLD, O LORD, MY AFFLICTION, not my sin, that you may condemn me, but my AFFLICTION, to set me free, BECAUSE THE ENEMY IS LIFTED UP, reckoning himself, abusing you, as if you are unable to set free. Hence David: Many say to my soul: there is no salvation for him in his God.
