Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusts in God, and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusts in God, and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, hath her hope set on God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
Now she who is truly a widow and without family puts her hope in God, giving herself to prayer day and night.
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
Now she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, has her hope set on God, and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, hath her hope set on God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
And desolate - Και μεμονωμενη· Left entirely alone - having neither children nor relatives to take care of her.
Trusteth in God - Finding she has no other helper, she continues in prayer and supplication, that she may derive that from God which, in the course of his providence, he has deprived her of among men.
A widow indeed, and desolate - The word rendered "desolate" means "solitary, alone." It does not necessarily imply the idea of discomfort which we attach to the word desolate. The sense is, that she had no children or other descendants; none on whom she could depend for support.
Trusteth in God - She has no one else to look to but God. She has no earthly reliance, and, destitute of husband, children, and property, she feels her dependence, and steadily looks to God for consolation and support.
And continueth in supplications and prayers night and day - Continually; compare notes on 1 Timothy 2:1; see also the description of Anna in Luke 2:36-37. The apostle regards this as one of the characteristics of those who were "widows indeed," whom he would have received into the class to be maintained by the church, and to whom the charge of younger members of the church might be entrusted.
5:5 Widows indeed - Who have no near relations to provide for them; and who are wholly devoted to God. Desolate - Having neither children, nor grandchildren to relieve her.