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