What makes the exile so much worse is to think of “all the precious things” that belonged to Israel and Jerusalem in the past. Now in their suffering, the people of Jerusalem remember all the blessings of God: the rescue from Egypt, God’s dwelling in their midst, his protection, his teachings, his temple service, the wonderful land of Canaan, and all the peace they could enjoy. All of these things could still have belonged to them, if they had only listened to God.
7 Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction and wandering all the precious things that were hers from days of old. When her people fell into the hand of the foe, and there was none to help her, her foes gloated over her; they mocked at her downfall.