Lamentations 3

1 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.⋮

2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.⋮

3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.⋮

4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.⋮

5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.⋮

6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.⋮

7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.⋮

8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.⋮

9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.⋮

10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.⋮

11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.⋮

12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.⋮

13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.⋮

14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.⋮

15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.⋮

16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.⋮

17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.⋮

18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:⋮

19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.⋮

20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.⋮

21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.⋮

22 It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.⋮

23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.⋮

24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.⋮

25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.⋮

26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.⋮

27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.⋮

28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.⋮

29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.⋮

30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.⋮

31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever:⋮

32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.⋮

33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.⋮

34 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,⋮

35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,⋮

36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.⋮

37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?⋮

38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?⋮

39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?⋮

40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.⋮

41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.⋮

42 We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.⋮

43 Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.⋮

44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.⋮

45 Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.⋮

46 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.⋮

47 Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.⋮

48 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.⋮

49 Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,⋮

50 Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.⋮

51 Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.⋮

52 Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.⋮

53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.⋮

54 Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.⋮

55 I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.⋮

56 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.⋮

57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.⋮

58 O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.⋮

59 O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.⋮

60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.⋮

61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;⋮

62 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.⋮

63 Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.⋮

64 Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.⋮

65 Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.⋮

66 Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.⋮