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 of 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.