Lamentations 3:1-66 NIrV

[1] I am a man who has suffered greatly. The LORD has used the Babylonians to punish my people. [2] He has driven me away. He has made me walk in darkness instead of light. [3] He has turned his powerful hand against me. He has done it again and again, all day long. [4] He has worn out my body. He has broken my bones. [5] He has surrounded me and attacked me. He has made me suffer bitterly. He has made things hard for me. [6] He has made me live in darkness like those who are dead and gone. [7] He has built walls around me, so I can’t escape. He has put heavy chains on me. [8] I call out and cry for help. But he won’t listen to me when I pray. [9] He has put up a stone wall to block my way. He has made my paths crooked. [10] He has been like a bear waiting to attack me. He has been like a lion hiding in the bushes. [11] He has dragged me off the path. He has torn me to pieces. And he has left me helpless. [12] He has gotten his bow ready to use. He has shot his arrows at me. [13] The arrows from his bag have gone through my heart. [14] My people laugh at me all the time. They sing and make fun of me all day long. [15] The LORD has made my life bitter. He has made me suffer bitterly. [16] He made me chew stones that broke my teeth. He has walked all over me in the dust. [17] I have lost all hope of ever having any peace. I’ve forgotten what good times are like. [18] So I say, “My glory has faded away. My hope in the LORD is gone.” [19] I remember how I suffered and wandered. I remember how bitter my life was. [20] I remember it very well. My spirit is very sad deep down inside me. [21] But here is something else I remember. And it gives me hope. [22] The LORD loves us very much. So we haven’t been completely destroyed. His loving concern never fails. [23] His great love is new every morning. LORD, how faithful you are! [24] I say to myself, “The LORD is everything I will ever need. So I will put my hope in him.” [25] The LORD is good to those who put their hope in him. He is good to those who look to him. [26] It is good when people wait quietly for the LORD to save them. [27] It is good for a man to carry a heavy load of suffering while he is young. [28] Let him sit alone and not say anything. The LORD has placed that load on him. [29] Let him bury his face in the dust. There might still be hope for him. [30] Let him turn his cheek toward those who would slap him. Let him be filled with shame. [31] The Lord doesn’t turn his back on people forever. [32] He might bring suffering. But he will also show loving concern. How great his faithful love is! [33] He doesn’t want to bring pain or suffering to anyone. [34] Every time people crush prisoners under their feet, the Lord knows all about it. [35] When people refuse to give someone what they should, the Most High God knows it. [36] When people don’t treat someone fairly, the Lord knows it. [37] Suppose people order something to happen. It won’t happen unless the Lord has planned it. [38] Troubles and good things alike come to people because the Most High God has commanded them to come. [39] A person who is still alive shouldn’t blame God when God punishes them for their sins. [40] Let’s take a good look at the way we’re living. Let’s return to the LORD. [41] Let’s lift up our hands to God in heaven. Let’s pray to him with all our hearts. [42] Let’s say, “We have sinned. We’ve refused to obey you. And you haven’t forgiven us. [43] “You have covered yourself with the cloud of your anger. You have chased us. You have killed us without pity. [44] You have covered yourself with the cloud of your anger. Our prayers can’t get through to you. [45] You have made us become like trash and garbage among the nations. [46] “All our enemies have opened their mouths wide to swallow us up. [47] We are terrified and trapped. We are broken and destroyed.” [48] Streams of tears flow from my eyes. That’s because my people are destroyed. [49] Tears will never stop flowing from my eyes. My eyes can’t get any rest. [50] I’ll weep until the LORD looks down from heaven. I’ll cry until he notices my tears. [51] What I see brings pain to my spirit. All the women of my city are mourning. [52] Those who were my enemies for no reason at all hunted me down as if I were a bird. [53] They tried to end my life by throwing me into a deep pit. They threw stones down at me. [54] The water rose and covered my head. I thought I was going to die. [55] LORD, I called out to you. I called out from the bottom of the pit. [56] I prayed, “Please don’t close your ears to my cry for help.” And you heard my appeal. [57] You came near when I called out to you. You said, “Do not be afraid.” [58] Lord, you stood up for me in court. You saved my life and set me free. [59] LORD, you have seen the wrong things people have done to me. Stand up for me again! [60] You have seen how my enemies have tried to get even with me. You know all about their plans against me. [61] LORD, you have heard them laugh at me. You know all about their plans against me. [62] You have heard my enemies whispering among themselves. They speak against me all day long. [63] Just look at them sitting and standing there! They sing and make fun of me. [64] LORD, pay them back. Punish them for what their hands have done. [65] Cover their minds with a veil. Put a curse on them! [66] LORD, get angry with them and hunt them down. Wipe them off the face of the earth.