Lamentations 3:1-66 ICB

[1] I am a man who has seen the suffering that comes from the rod of the Lord's anger. [2] He led me into darkness, not light. [3] He turned his hand against me again and again, all day long. [4] He caused my flesh and skin to wear out. He broke my bones. [5] He surrounded me and attacked me with sadness and grief. [6] He made me sit in the dark, like someone who has been dead a long time. [7] He shut me in so I could not get out. He put heavy chains on me. [8] I cry out and beg for help. But he ignores my prayer. [9] He has blocked my way with stones. He has made my life difficult. [10] The Lord is like a bear ready to attack me. He is like a lion in hiding. [11] He led me the wrong way and tore me to pieces. He left me without help. [12] He prepared to shoot his bow. He made me the target for his arrows. [13] He shot me in the kidneys with the arrows from his arrow bag. [14] I have become a joke to all my people. All day long they make fun of me with songs. [15] The Lord filled me with misery. He filled me with suffering. [16] The Lord broke my teeth with gravel. He crushed me into the dirt. [17] I have no more peace. I have forgotten what happiness is. [18] I said, "My strength is gone. I have no more hope that the Lord will help me." [19] Lord, remember my suffering and how I have no home. Remember the misery and suffering. [20] I remember them well. And I am very sad. [21] But I have hope when I think of this: [22] The Lord's love never ends. His mercies never stop. [23] They are new every morning. Lord, your loyalty is great. [24] I say to myself, "The Lord is what I have left. So I have hope." [25] The Lord is good to those who put their hope in him. He is good to those who look to him for help. [26] It is good to wait quietly for the Lord to save. [27] It is good for a man to work hard while he is young. [28] He should sit alone and be quiet because the Lord has given him hard work to do. [29] He should bow to the Lord with his face to the ground. Maybe there is still hope. [30] He should offer his cheek if someone wants to hit him. He should be filled with shame. [31] The Lord will not reject his people forever. [32] Although the Lord brings sorrow, he also has mercy. His love is great. [33] The Lord does not like to punish people or make them sad. [34] The Lord sees if any prisoner of the earth is crushed under his feet. [35] He sees if someone is treated unfairly before the Most High God. [36] The Lord sees if someone is cheated in his case in court. [37] Nobody can speak and have it happen unless the Lord commands it. [38] Both bad and good things come by the command of the Most High God. [39] No man should complain when he is punished for his sins. [40] Let us examine and look at what we have done. Then let us return to the Lord. [41] Let us lift up our hands and pray from our hearts. Let us say to God in heaven, [42] "We have sinned and turned against you. And you have not forgiven us. [43] "You wrapped yourself in anger and chased us. You killed us without mercy. [44] You wrapped yourself in a cloud. No prayer could get through. [45] You made us like scum and trash among the other nations. [46] "All of our enemies open their mouths and say things against us. [47] We have been frightened and fearful. We have been ruined and destroyed." [48] Streams of tears flow from my eyes because my people are destroyed. [49] My tears flow continually, without stopping, [50] until the Lord looks down and sees from heaven. [51] I am sad when I see what has happened to all the women of my city. [52] Those who are my enemies for no reason hunted me like a bird. [53] They threw me alive into a pit. They threw stones at me. [54] Water came up over my head. I said to myself, "I am going to die." [55] I called out to you, Lord, from the bottom of the pit. [56] You heard me calling, "Do not close your ears. Do not ignore my cry for help." [57] You came close when I called out to you. You said, "Don't be afraid." [58] Lord, you have taken my case. You have given me back my life. [59] Lord, you have seen how I have been wronged. Now judge my case for me. [60] You have seen how my enemies took revenge on me. You have seen all their evil plans against me. [61] Lord, you have heard their insults and all their evil plans against me. [62] The words and thoughts of my enemies are against me all the time. [63] Look! In everything they do they make fun of me with songs. [64] Punish them as they should be punished, Lord. Pay them back for what they have done. [65] Make them stubborn. Put your curse on them. [66] Chase them in anger. Destroy them from the Lord's earth.