Lamentations 3:1-66 GW

[1] "I am the man who has experienced suffering under the rod of God's fury. [2] God has driven me away and made me walk in darkness instead of light. [3] He beat me again and again all day long. [4] He has made my flesh and my skin waste away. He has broken my bones. [5] He has attacked me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. [6] He has made me live in darkness, like those who died a long time ago. [7] He has blocked me so that I can't get out. He has put heavy chains on me. [8] Even when I cry and call for help, he shuts out my prayer. [9] He has blocked my way with cut stones and made my paths crooked. [10] He is like a bear waiting to ambush me, like a lion in hiding. [11] He has forced me off the road I was taking, torn me to pieces, and left me with nothing. [12] He has drawn his bow and made me the target for his arrows. [13] He has shot the arrows from his quiver into my heart. [14] I have become a laughingstock to all my people. All day long they make fun of me with their songs. [15] He has filled me with bitterness. He has made me drink wormwood. [16] He has ground my teeth with gravel. He has trampled me into the dust. [17] "My soul has been kept from enjoying peace. I have forgotten what happiness is. [18] I said, 'I've lost my strength to live and my hope in the LORD.' [19] Remember my suffering and my aimless wandering, the wormwood and poison. [20] My soul continues to remember these things and is so discouraged. [21] "The reason I can still find hope is that I keep this one thing in mind: [22] the LORD's mercy. We were not completely wiped out. His compassion is never limited. [23] It is new every morning. His faithfulness is great. [24] My soul can say, 'The LORD is my lot in life. That is why I find hope in him.' [25] The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to anyone who seeks help from him. [26] "It is good to continue to hope and wait silently for the LORD to save us. [27] It is good for people to endure burdens when they're young. [28] They should sit alone and remain silent because the LORD has laid these burdens on them. [29] They should put their mouths in the dust. Maybe a reason to hope exists. [30] They should turn their cheeks to the one who strikes them and take their fill of insults. [31] "The Lord will not reject such people forever. [32] Even if he makes us suffer, he will have compassion in keeping with the richness of his mercy. [33] He does not willingly bring suffering or grief to anyone, [34] crush any prisoner on earth underfoot, [35] deny people their rights in the presence of the Most High God, [36] or deprive people of justice in court. The Lord isn't happy to see these things. [37] Who was it who spoke and it came into being? It was the Lord who gave the order. [38] Both good and bad come from the mouth of the Most High God. [39] "Why should any living mortal (any person) complain about being punished for sin? [40] Let us look closely at our ways and examine them and then return to the LORD. [41] Let us raise our hearts and hands to God in heaven. [42] "We have been disobedient and rebellious. You haven't forgiven us. [43] You covered yourself with anger and pursued us. You killed without pity. [44] You covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer could get through it. [45] You made us the scum and trash of the nations. [46] All our enemies gawk at us. [47] Panic and pitfalls have found us, so have devastation and destruction. [48] "Streams of tears run down from my eyes over the ruin of my dear people. [49] My eyes will keep flowing without stopping for a moment [50] until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees. [51] What I see with my eyes disturbs me deeply because of all the young women in my city. [52] "Those who were my enemies for no reason hunted me like a bird. [53] They threw me alive into a pit and threw rocks at me. [54] Water flowed over my head. I thought I was finished. [55] "I call your name from the deepest pit, O LORD. [56] Listen to my cry for help. Don't close your ears when I cry out for relief. [57] Be close at hand when I call to you. You told me not to be afraid. [58] Plead my case for me, O LORD. Reclaim my life. [59] Look at the wrong that has been done to me, O LORD. Give me a fair verdict. [60] Look at all their malice, all their plots against me. [61] Listen to their insults, all their plots against me. [62] The words and thoughts of those who attack me are directed against me all day long. [63] Look at them! Whether they are sitting or standing, they make fun of me in their songs. [64] Pay them back, O LORD, for what they deserve, for what their own hands have done. [65] Make them stubborn. Let your curse be on them. [66] Pursue them in anger, and wipe them out from under the LORD's heaven."