Lamentations 3:1-66 KJ21

[1] I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of His wrath. [2] He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light. [3] Surely against me is He turned; He turneth His hand against me all the day. [4] My flesh and my skin hath He made old; He hath broken my bones. [5] He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail. [6] He hath set me in dark places, as they that are dead of old. [7] He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out; He hath made my chain heavy. [8] Also when I cry and shout, He shutteth out my prayer. [9] He hath enclosed my ways with hewn stone; He hath made my paths crooked. [10] He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places. [11] He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; He hath made me desolate. [12] He hath bent His bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. [13] He hath caused the arrows of His quiver to enter into my reins. [14] I was a derision to all my people, and their song all the day. [15] He hath filled me with bitterness; He hath made me drunken with wormwood. [16] He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones; He hath covered me with ashes. [17] And Thou hast removed my soul far off from peace; I forgot prosperity. [18] And I said, "My strength and my hope are perished from the LORD," [19] remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. [20] My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. [21] This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope: [22] It is through the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. [23] They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. [24] "The LORD is my portion," saith my soul, "Therefore will I hope in Him." [25] The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. [26] It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. [27] It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. [28] He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. [29] He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so it be, there may be hope. [30] He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him; he is filled full with reproach. [31] For the Lord will not cast off for ever. [32] But though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. [33] For He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. [34] To crush under His feet all the prisoners of the earth, [35] to turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High, [36] to subvert a man in his cause-the Lord approveth not. [37] Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? [38] Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good? [39] Why then doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? [40] Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. [41] Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. [42] We have transgressed and have rebelled; Thou hast not pardoned. [43] Thou hast covered Thyself with anger and persecuted us; Thou hast slain, Thou hast not pitied. [44] Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through. [45] Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people. [46] All our enemies have opened their mouths against us. [47] Fear and a snare have come upon us, desolation and destruction. [48] Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people. [49] Mine eye trickleth down and ceaseth not, without any intermission, [50] till the LORD look down and behold from heaven. [51] Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city. [52] Mine enemies chased me sorely like a bird, without cause. [53] They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me. [54] Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, "I am cut off!" [55] I called upon Thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon. [56] Thou hast heard my voice: "Hide not Thine ear at my breathing, at my cry." [57] Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon Thee; Thou saidst, "Fear not." [58] O Lord, Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; Thou hast redeemed my life. [59] O LORD, Thou hast seen my wrong; judge Thou my cause. [60] Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginings against me. [61] Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginings against me, [62] the lips of those that rose up against me, and their devices against me all the day. [63] Behold their sitting down and their rising up; I am their music. [64] Render unto them a recompense, O LORD, according to the work of their hands. [65] Give them sorrow of heart, Thy curse unto them. [66] Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.