King James Version

What Does Lamentations 5:15 Mean?

Lamentations 5:15 in the King James Version says “The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.” — study this verse from Lamentations chapter 5 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.”

Lamentations 5:15 · KJV

Joy

Context

13

They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.

14

The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.

15

The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

16

The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned! The: Heb. The crown of our head is fallen

17

For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The emotional toll: "The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning" (shavat mesos libeinu nehefakh le-evel mecholenu, שָׁבַת מְשׂוֹשׂ לִבֵּנוּ נֶהְפַּךְ לְאֵבֶל מְחֹלֵנוּ). The verb shavat (שָׁבַת, "ceased") is the same root as sabbath—rest from joy, silence of celebration. "Joy of our heart" (mesos libeinu) refers to inner gladness, not mere external merriment. Complete interior joy has vanished. "Dance is turned into mourning" (mechol...nehefakh le-evel) describes transformation: celebratory dancing at festivals and weddings becomes funeral lamentation. Ecclesiastes 3:4 acknowledges: "a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." The exile was emphatically a time to mourn. Psalm 137:1-4 captures this: "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept...How shall we sing the LORD's song in a strange land?" The loss of joy represents not just emotional state but broken fellowship with God—the source of true joy (Psalm 16:11, 43:4, Philippians 4:4). When relationship with God is fractured by sin and judgment, joy inevitably departs.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Ancient Israelite worship and festivals were characterized by exuberant joy. Psalms of Ascent sung by pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem radiate gladness (Psalms 120-134). Festival celebrations included music, dancing, feasting (Deuteronomy 16:13-15). Women danced with timbrels celebrating military victories (Exodus 15:20, 1 Samuel 18:6). Ecclesiastes 9:7-8 pictures festive joy: "Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy...let thy garments be always white." But exile silenced this. With no temple, no festivals, no national independence, celebration seemed inappropriate. The emotional and spiritual depression affected the entire community. Ezra 3:12-13 describes mixed emotions at the second temple's foundation: young people shouted for joy, but old people who remembered Solomon's temple wept. Nehemiah 8:9-12 shows the pattern reversing: after reading Torah, people wept, but Ezra commanded: "This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep...for the joy of the LORD is your strength" (8:9-10). Restoration allows joy to return, grounded not in circumstances but in God Himself.

Reflection Questions

  1. What's the relationship between our joy and our spiritual state, and how does sin and broken fellowship with God inevitably diminish true joy?
  2. How do we distinguish between appropriate seasons of mourning versus the perpetual joy that should characterize Christian life in Christ?
  3. In what ways does Nehemiah 8:10's statement 'the joy of the LORD is your strength' show that true joy transcends circumstances?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 6 words
שָׁבַת֙1 of 6

“is ceased”

H7673

to repose, i.e., desist from exertion; used in many implied relations (causative, figurative or specific)

מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ2 of 6

“The joy”

H4885

delight, concretely (the cause or object) or abstractly (the feeling)

לִבֵּ֔נוּ3 of 6

“of our heart”

H3820

the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything

נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ4 of 6

“is turned”

H2015

to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert

לְאֵ֖בֶל5 of 6

“into mourning”

H60

lamentation

מְחֹלֵֽנוּ׃6 of 6

“our dance”

H4234

a (round) dance

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Lamentations. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Lamentations 5:15 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Lamentations 5:15 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Amos 8:10Jeremiah 25:10Psalms 30:11James 4:9-10Amos 6:4-7

Test Your Knowledge

Lamentations 5 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterLamentations Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

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