Lamentations


3:1
 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.


3:2
 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.


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


3:4
 My flesh and my skin hath he made old: he hath broken my bones.


3:5
 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.


3:6
 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.


3:7
 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.


3:8
 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.


3:9
 He hath enclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.


3:10
 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.


3:11
 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.


3:12
 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.


3:13
 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.


3:14
 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.


3:15
 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.


3:16
 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.


3:17
 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.


3:18
 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:


3:19
 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.


3:20
 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.


3:21
 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.


3:22
 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.


3:23
 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.


3:24
 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.


3:25
 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.


3:26
 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.


3:27
 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.


3:28
 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.


3:29
 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.


3:30
 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.


3:31
 For the Lord will not cast off for ever:


3:32
 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.


3:33
 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.


3:34
 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,


3:35
 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,


3:36
 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.


3:37
 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?


3:38
 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?


3:39
 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?


3:40
 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.


3:41
 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.


3:42
 We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.


3:43
 Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.


3:44
 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.


3:45
 Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.


3:46
 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.


3:47
 Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.


3:48
 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.


3:49
 Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,


3:50
 Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.


3:51
 Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.


3:52
 Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.


3:53
 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.


3:54
 Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.


3:55
 I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.


3:56
 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.


3:57
 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.


3:58
 O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.


3:59
 O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.


3:60
 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.


3:61
 Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;


3:62
 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.


3:63
 Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their music.


3:64
 Render unto them a recompense, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.


3:65
 Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.


3:66
 Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.