lamentations3
  • 1I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
  • 2He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
  • 3Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
  • 4My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
  • 5He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
  • 6He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
  • 7He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
  • 8Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
  • 9He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
  • 10He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
  • 11He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
  • 12He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
  • 13He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
  • 14I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
  • 15He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
  • 16He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
  • 17And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
  • 18And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
  • 19Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
  • 20My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
  • 21This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
  • 22It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
  • 23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
  • 24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
  • 25The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
  • 26It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
  • 27It is good for a man that he bear the yoke of his youth.
  • 28He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
  • 29He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
  • 30He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
  • 31For the LORD will not cast off for ever:
  • 32But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
  • 33For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
  • 34To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.
  • 35To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
  • 36To subvert a man in his cause, the LORD approveth not.
  • 37Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
  • 38Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
  • 39Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
  • 40Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
  • 41Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
  • 42We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
  • 43Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
  • 44Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
  • 45Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
  • 46All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
  • 47Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
  • 48Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
  • 49Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission.
  • 50Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
  • 51Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
  • 52Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
  • 53They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
  • 54Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
  • 55I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
  • 56Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
  • 57Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
  • 58O LORD, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
  • 59O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
  • 60Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
  • 61Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;
  • 62The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
  • 63Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.
  • 64Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
  • 65Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
  • 66Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.