LamentationsChapter 3
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1I am the man who has seen suffering.
God has struck me with the rod of his anger. 2He has driven me away.
He has made me walk in darkness, not light. 3Yes, he turns his hand against me
again and again, all day long. 4He has worn away my flesh and skin.
He has broken my bones. 5He has attacked me and closed me in.
He has surrounded me with bitterness and hard times. 6He has made me live in darkness
like those who died long ago. 7He has built a wall around me so I can't escape.
He has weighed me down with chains. 8Even when I cry out and beg for help,
he shuts out my prayer. 9He has blocked my way with cut stones.
He has made my paths crooked. 10He is like a bear waiting to attack,
like a lion hiding to pounce. 11He forced me off my path and tore me to pieces.
He left me with no help. 12He bent his bow.
He made me the target for his arrow. 13He shot his arrows
deep into my insides.a 14All my people laugh at me.
They make fun of me in songs all day long. 15He has filled me with bitter things.
He has made me drunk on wormwood.b 16He has broken my teeth with gravel.
He has stomped me into the dust. 17My soul has no peace.
I have forgotten what good times are. 18So I say, "My strength has perished.
So has my hope from the LORD." 19Remember how I suffer and wander.
Remember the wormwood and the bitter gall. 20My soul surely remembers.
It sinks down inside me. 21But I bring this to mind,
and so I have hope: 22Because of the LORD's faithful love,
we are not destroyed.
For his mercies never fail. 23They are new every morning.
Great is your faithfulness! 24My soul says, "The LORD is all I have.
So I will hope in him."c 25The LORD is good to those who wait for him.
He is good to the one who looks for him. 26It is good to wait quietly
for the LORD to save. 27It is good for a man to carry the yoke
while he is still young. 28Let him sit alone and be quiet,
for the LORD has put it on him. 29Let him put his face in the dust.
Maybe there is still hope. 30Let him turn his cheek to the one who would hit him.
Let him be filled with shame. 31For the Lord will not reject us forever. 32He may bring sorrow.
But he will show kindness,
because his faithful love is so great. 33For he does not gladly make people suffer
or bring them sorrow. 34To crush under your feet
all the prisoners of the land, 35to keep a man from getting justice
before the Most High, 36to twist the truth in a man's court case,
the Lord does not approve of these. 37Who can speak and make something happen
unless the Lord has ordered it? 38Don't both trouble and good things
come from the mouth of the Most High? 39Why should any living person complain
when he is punished for his sins? 40Let us look closely at our ways and test them.
Let us turn back to the LORD. 41Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
to God in heaven: 42"We have sinned and turned against you.
And you have not forgiven." 43You have covered yourself with anger and chased us.
You have killed without pity. 44You have covered yourself with a cloud
so no prayer can get through. 45You have made us trash and garbage
among the nations. 46All our enemies
open their mouths against us. 47Fear and traps have come on us.
We face ruin and destruction. 48Streams of tears flow from my eyes,
because my people have been destroyed. 49My eyes will keep pouring out tears.
They will not stop 50until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees. 51What I see makes my soul sad
because of all the women of my city. 52My enemies hunted me like a bird.
They had no reason to do it. 53They threw me alive into a pit.
They threw stones on me. 54Water flowed over my head.
I thought I was going to die. 55I called on your name, LORD,
from the bottom of the pit. 56You heard me beg,
"Don't close your ears to my cry for help." 57You came near when I called to you.
You said, "Do not be afraid." 58Lord, you stand up for me.
You redeem my life. 59LORD, you have seen the wrong done to me.
Show that I am in the right! 60You have seen how much they hate me.
You have seen all their plans against me. 61LORD, you have heard their insults.
You have heard all their plans against me. 62My attackers whisper and tell lies about me
all day long. 63Look at them! When they sit and when they stand,
they make fun of me in their songs. 64You will pay them back what they deserve, LORD.
You will pay them back for what their hands have done. 65Cover their hearts with a veil of pain.
May your curse be on them! 66You will chase them in your anger, LORD.
You will wipe them out from under your heavens.