Lamentations 3:1-66 ERV

[1] I am a man who has seen much trouble. God beat us with a stick, and I saw it happen. [2] He led and brought me into darkness, not light. [3] He turned his hand against me. He did this again and again, all day. [4] He wore out my flesh and skin. He broke my bones. [5] He built up bitterness and trouble against me. He surrounded me with bitterness and trouble. [6] He put me in the dark, like someone who died long ago. [7] He shut me in, so I could not get out. He put heavy chains on me. [8] Even when I cry out and ask for help, he does not listen to my prayer. [9] He has blocked up my path with stones. He has made my path crooked. [10] He is like a bear about to attack me, like a lion that is in a hiding place. [11] He led me off my path. He tore me to pieces and ruined me. [12] He made his bow ready. He made me the target for his arrows. [13] He shot me in the stomach with his arrows. [14] I have become a joke to all my people. All day long they sing songs about me and make fun of me. [15] He gave me this poison to drink. He filled me with this bitter drink. [16] He pushed my teeth into rocky ground. He pushed me into the dirt. [17] I thought I would never have peace again. I forgot about good things. [18] I said to myself, "I no longer have any hope that the LORD will help me." [19] Remember, I am very sad, and I have no home. Remember the bitter poison that you gave me. [20] I remember well all my troubles, and I am very sad. [21] But then I think about this, and I have hope: [22] We are still alive because the LORD's faithful love never ends. [23] Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! [24] I say to myself, "The LORD is my God, and I trust him." [25] The LORD is good to those who wait for him. He is good to those who look for him. [26] It is good to wait quietly for the LORD to save them. [27] It is good for a man to wear his yoke from the time he is young. [28] He should sit alone and be quiet when the Lord puts his yoke on him. [29] He should bow down to the Lord. Maybe there is still hope. [30] He should turn his cheek to the one who hits him and let people insult him. [31] He should remember that the Lord does not reject people forever. [32] When he punishes, he also has mercy. He has mercy because of his great love and kindness. [33] He does not enjoy causing people pain. He does not like to make anyone unhappy. [34] He does not like any prisoner on earth to be trampled down. [35] He does not like anyone to be unfair to another person. Some people will do such things right in front of God Most High. [36] The Lord does not like anyone to cheat another person. He does not like any of these things. [37] No one can say something and make it happen, unless the Lord orders it. [38] God Most High commands both good and bad things to happen. [39] No one alive can complain when he punishes them for their sins. [40] Let us check and see what we have done. Then let us turn back to the LORD. [41] Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to the God of heaven. [42] Let us say to him, "We have sinned and have been stubborn. Because of this, you have not forgiven us. [43] You wrapped yourself with anger. You chased us. You killed us without mercy! [44] You wrapped yourself in a cloud so that no prayer could get through. [45] You made us like garbage and dirt to the other nations. [46] All of our enemies speak angrily against us. [47] We have been frightened. We have fallen into a pit. We have been badly hurt. We have been broken." [48] My eyes flow with streams of tears. I cry because of the destruction of my people. [49] My eyes will flow without stopping. I will keep on crying. [50] I will continue to cry until you look down and see us, LORD! I will continue to cry until you see us from heaven. [51] My eyes make me sad, when I see what happened to the young women in my city. [52] For no reason, my enemies hunted me like a bird. [53] They threw me alive into a pit and then threw stones at me. [54] Water came up over my head. I said to myself, "I am finished." [55] LORD, I called your name from the bottom of the pit. [56] You heard my voice. You didn't close your ears. You didn't refuse to rescue me. [57] You came to me on the day that I called out to you. You said to me, "Don't be afraid." [58] You defended me and brought me back to life. [59] LORD, you have seen my trouble. Now judge my case for me. [60] You have seen how my enemies have hurt me. You have seen all the evil plans that they made against me. [61] You heard them insult me, LORD. You have heard all the evil plans that they made against me. [62] The words and the thoughts of my enemies are against me all the time- [63] when they sit down and when they stand up. Look how they make fun of me! [64] Give them back what they deserve, LORD. Pay them back for what they have done. [65] Make them stubborn and then curse them. [66] Chase them in anger and destroy them. Wipe them off the face of the earth, LORD!