2. “Pity Your People” (vv. 4-7). The shepherd image blends in with the image of Israel as God’s people: “We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture” (100:3). But the Lord was now angry with His people, and His anger smoldered like a fire about to erupt and consume them. (See 74:1; 79:5; Deut. 29:20; Isa. 65:5.) He was even angry at their prayers, or “in spite of” their prayers. (For “How long?” see 6:3. See also Lam. 3:8, 44; and recall that God told Jeremiah not to pray for His wayward people [Jer. 7:16; 11:14; 14:11; and see 1 John 5:16].) During Israel’s wilderness wanderings, God provided bread from heaven and water from the rock (Ex. 16–17; Num. 20), but now His people had only tears as both their food and their drink. (See 42:3; 102:9; Isa. 30:20.) To make matters worse, the neighboring peoples were laughing at God’s people (44:13-16; 79:4). Again we read the plaintive refrain (v. 7), but note that the “O God” of verse 3 now becomes “O Lord God of hosts” (v. 4) (“God Almighty” niv). Jehovah is the Lord of the armies of heaven and earth, but His people no longer marched in victory.