Lamentations 3

The Prophet’s Anguish and Hope

3I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath.H1397H7200H6040H7626H56782He has led me and made me walk In darkness and not in light.H5090H3212H2822H2163Surely He has turned His hand against me Time and time again throughout the day.H7725H2015H3027H31174He has aged my flesh and my skin, And broken my bones.H1320H5785H1086H7665H61065He has besieged me And surrounded me with bitterness and woe.H1129H5362H7219H85136He has set me in dark places Like the dead of long ago.H3427H4285H4191H57697He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out; He has made my chain heavy.H1443H3318H5178H35138Even when I cry and shout, He shuts out my prayer.H2199H7768H5640H86059He has blocked my ways with hewn stone; He has made my paths crooked.H1443H1870H1496H5410H575310He has been to me a bear lying in wait, Like a lion in ambush.H1677H693H738H456511He has turned aside my ways and torn me in pieces; He has made me desolate.H5493H1870H6582H7760H807412He has bent His bow And set me up as a target for the arrow.H1869H7198H5324H4307H267113He has caused the arrows of His quiver To pierce my loins.H1121H827H935H362914I have become the ridicule of all my people—Their taunting song all the day.H7814H5971H5058H311715He has filled me with bitterness, He has made me drink wormwood.H7646H4844H7301H393916He has also broken my teeth with gravel, And covered me with ashes.H1638H8127H2687H3728H66517You have moved my soul far from peace; I have forgotten prosperity.H2186H5315H2186H7965H5382H289618And I said, "My strength and my hope Have perished from the LORD."H559H5331H8431H6H306819Remember my affliction and roaming, The wormwood and the gall.H2142H6040H4788H3939H721920My soul still remembers And sinks within me.H5315H2142H2142H774321This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.H7725H3820H317622Through the LORD'S mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.H3068H2617H8552H7356H361523They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.H2319H1242H7227H53024"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!"H3068H2506H559H5315H317625The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.H3068H2896H6960H5315H187526It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the LORD.H2896H3175H2342H1748H8668H306827It is good for a man to bear The yoke in his youth.H2896H1397H5375H5923H527128Let him sit alone and keep silent, Because God has laid it on him;H3427H910H1826H519029Let him put his mouth in the dust—There may yet be hope.H5414H6310H6083H3426H861530Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him, And be full of reproach.H5414H3895H5221H7646H278131For the Lord will not cast off forever.H136H2186H576932Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion According to the multitude of His mercies.H3013H7355H7230H261733For He does not afflict willingly, Nor grieve the children of men.H6031H3820H3013H1121H37634To crush under one's feet All the prisoners of the earth,H1792H7272H615H77635To turn aside the justice due a man Before the face of the Most High,H5186H4941H1397H6440H594536Or subvert a man in his cause—The Lord does not approve.H5791H120H7379H136H720037Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, When the Lord has not commanded it?H559H136H668038Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That woe and well-being proceed?H6310H5945H3318H7451H289639Why should a living man complain, A man for the punishment of his sins?H2416H120H596H1397H239940Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD;H2664H2713H1870H7725H306841Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven.H5375H3824H3709H410H806442We have transgressed and rebelled; You have not pardoned.H5168H6586H4784H554543You have covered Yourself with anger And pursued us; You have slain and not pitied.H5526H639H7291H2026H255044You have covered Yourself with a cloud, That prayer should not pass through.H5526H6051H8605H567445You have made us an offscouring and refuse In the midst of the peoples.H7760H5501H3973H7130H597146All our enemies Have opened their mouths against us.H341H6475H631047Fear and a snare have come upon us, Desolation and destruction.H6343H6354H7612H766748My eyes overflow with rivers of water For the destruction of the daughter of my people.H5869H3381H6388H4325H7667H1323H597149My eyes flow and do not cease, Without interruption,H5869H5064H1820H201450Till the LORD from heaven Looks down and sees.H3068H8259H7200H806451My eyes bring suffering to my soul Because of all the daughters of my city.H5869H5953H5315H1323H589252My enemies without cause Hunted me down like a bird.H341H6679H6679H6833H260053They silenced my life in the pit And threw stones at me.H6789H2416H953H3034H6854The waters flowed over my head; I said, "I am cut off!"H4325H6687H7218H559H150455I called on Your name, O LORD, From the lowest pit.H7121H8034H3068H8482H95356You have heard my voice: "Do not hide Your ear From my sighing, from my cry for help."H8085H6963H5956H241H7309H777557You drew near on the day I called on You, And said, "Do not fear!"H7126H3117H7121H559H337258O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life.H136H7378H7379H5315H1350H241659O LORD, You have seen how I am wronged; Judge my case.H3068H7200H5792H8199H494160You have seen all their vengeance, All their schemes against me.H7200H5360H428461You have heard their reproach, O LORD, All their schemes against me,H8085H2781H3068H428462The lips of my enemies And their whispering against me all the day.H8193H6965H1902H311763Look at their sitting down and their rising up; I am their taunting song.H5027H3427H7012H448564Repay them, O LORD, According to the work of their hands.H7725H1576H3068H4639H302765Give them a veiled heart; Your curse be upon them!H5414H4044H3820H838166In Your anger, Pursue and destroy them From under the heavens of the LORD.H7291H8045H639H8064H3068