Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.
Ver. 19. Arise, cry in the night.] A fit time for meditation and prayer, as we read of David, Psalms 119:55 ; Psa 119:148 and of the Son of David. Luk 21:37
In the beginning of the watches.]. When others are in their first - which is their deepest and sweetest - sleep, break thyself of thy rest, that thou mayest give God no rest. Isa 62:6-7 Omnibus signis et modis miseriam tuam expone Domino; bestir thee every way, all is but little enough.
Pour out thine heart like water.] That is, saith Sanchez, Weep till thou hast wept thy very heart out, if it were possible. Or as others, Pour out thine heart to God in humble and ingenuous confession and supplication; but then pour it forth as water (whereof every drop will come out), and not as oil, whereof some will still stick to the sides of the vessel. Tundens pectus et non effundens vitia, ea consolidat, saith Augustine. He who pretendeth to repent, and yet parteth not with his sins, doth but increase them.
Lift up thine hands toward him.] But with thy heart. Lam 3:41
For the life of thy young children.] See on Lamentations 2:11,12 .