Lamentations 3

Chapter 3

Hope in the LORD’s Faithfulness

1 I am the one who has seen the afflictions
that come from the rod of the LORD’s anger.2 He has led me into darkness,
shutting out all light.3 He has turned his hand against me
again and again, all day long.4 He has made my skin and flesh grow old.
He has broken my bones.5 He has besieged and surrounded me
with anguish and distress.6 He has buried me in a dark place,
like those long dead.7 He has walled me in, and I cannot escape.
He has bound me in heavy chains.8 And though I cry and shout,
he has shut out my prayers.9 He has blocked my way with a high stone wall;
he has made my road crooked.10 He has hidden like a bear or a lion,
waiting to attack me.11 He has dragged me off the path and torn me in pieces,
leaving me helpless and devastated.12 He has drawn his bow
and made me the target for his arrows.13 He shot his arrows
deep into my heart.14 My own people laugh at me.
All day long they sing their mocking songs.15 He has filled me with bitterness
and given me a bitter cup of sorrow to drink.16 He has made me chew on gravel.
He has rolled me in the dust.17 Peace has been stripped away,
and I have forgotten what prosperity is.18 I cry out, “My splendor is gone!
Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!”19 The thought of my suffering and homelessness
is bitter beyond words.t20 I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.21 Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:22 The faithful love of the LORD never ends!t
His mercies never cease.23 Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”25 The LORD is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.26 So it is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the LORD.27 And it is good for people to submit at an early age
to the yoke of his discipline:28 Let them sit alone in silence
beneath the LORD’s demands.29 Let them lie face down in the dust,
for there may be hope at last.30 Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them
and accept the insults of their enemies.31 For no one is abandoned
by the Lord forever.32 Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
because of the greatness of his unfailing love.33 For he does not enjoy hurting people
or causing them sorrow.34 If people crush underfoot
all the prisoners of the land,35 if they deprive others of their rights
in defiance of the Most High,36 if they twist justice in the courts—
doesn’t the Lord see all these things?37 Who can command things to happen
without the Lord’s permission?38 Does not the Most High
send both calamity and good?39 Then why should we, mere humans, complain
when we are punished for our sins?40 Instead, let us test and examine our ways.
Let us turn back to the LORD.41 Let us lift our hearts and hands
to God in heaven and say,42 “We have sinned and rebelled,
and you have not forgiven us.43 “You have engulfed us with your anger, chased us down,
and slaughtered us without mercy.44 You have hidden yourself in a cloud
so our prayers cannot reach you.45 You have discarded us as refuse and garbage
among the nations.46 “All our enemies
have spoken out against us.47 We are filled with fear,
for we are trapped, devastated, and ruined.”48 Tears stream from my eyes
because of the destruction of my people!49 My tears flow endlessly;
they will not stop50 until the LORD looks down
from heaven and sees.51 My heart is breaking
over the fate of all the women of Jerusalem.52 My enemies, whom I have never harmed,
hunted me down like a bird.53 They threw me into a pit
and dropped stones on me.54 The water rose over my head,
and I cried out, “This is the end!”55 But I called on your name, LORD,
from deep within the pit.56 You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading!
Hear my cry for help!”57 Yes, you came when I called;
you told me, “Do not fear.”58 Lord, you are my lawyer! Plead my case!
For you have redeemed my life.59 You have seen the wrong they have done to me, LORD.
Be my judge, and prove me right.60 You have seen the vengeful plots
my enemies have laid against me.61 LORD, you have heard the vile names they call me.
You know all about the plans they have made.62 My enemies whisper and mutter
as they plot against me all day long.63 Look at them! Whether they sit or stand,
I am the object of their mocking songs.64 Pay them back, LORD,
for all the evil they have done.65 Give them hard and stubborn hearts,
and then let your curse fall on them!66 Chase them down in your anger,
destroying them beneath the LORD’s heavens.

LAMENTATIONS 3

There Is Still Hope

The Prophet Speaks:

1 I have suffered much
because God was angry.

2 He chased me into a dark place,
where no light could enter.

3 I am the only one he punishes
over and over again,
without ever stopping.

4 God caused my skin and flesh
to waste away,
and he crushed my bones.

5 He attacked and surrounded me
with hardships and trouble;

6 he forced me to sit in the dark
like someone long dead.

7 God built a fence around me
that I cannot climb over,
and he chained me down.

8 Even when I shouted
and prayed for help,
he refused to listen.

9 God put big rocks in my way
and made me follow
a crooked path.

10 God was like a bear or a lion
waiting in ambush for me;

11 he dragged me from the road,
then tore me to shreds.t

12 God took careful aim
and shot his arrows

13 straight through my heart.

14 I am a joke to everyone—
no one ever stops
making fun of me.

15 God has turned my life sour.

16 He made me eat gravel
and rubbed me in the dirt.

17 I cannot find peace
or remember happiness.

18 I tell myself, “I am finished!
I can't count on the [Lord]
to do anything for me.”

19 Just thinking of my troubles
and my lonely wandering
makes me miserable.

20 That's all I ever think about,
and I am depressed.t

21 Then I remember something
that fills me with hope.

22 The [Lord]'s kindness never fails!
If he had not been merciful,
we would have been destroyed.t

23 The [Lord] can always be trusted
to show mercy each morning.

24 Deep in my heart I say,
“The [Lord] is all I need;
I can depend on him!”

25 The [Lord] is kind to everyone
who trusts and obeys him.

26 It is good to wait patiently
for the [Lord] to save us.

27 When we are young,
it is good to struggle hard

28 and to sit silently alone,
if this is what
the [Lord] intends.

29 Being rubbed in the dirt
can teach us a lesson;t

30 we can also learn from insults
and hard knocks.

31 The Lord won't always reject us!

32 He causes a lot of suffering,
but he also has pity
because of his great love.

33 The Lord doesn't enjoy
sending grief or pain.

34 Don't trample prisoners
under your feet

35 or cheat anyone out of
what is rightfully theirs.
God Most High sees everything,

36 and he knows when you refuse
to give someone a fair trial.

37 No one can do anything
without the Lord's approval.

38 Good and bad each happen
at the command
of God Most High.

39 We're still alive!
We shouldn't complain
when we are being punished
for our sins.

40 Instead, we should think
about the way we are living,
and turn back to the [Lord].

41 When we lift our hands
in prayer to God in heaven,
we should offer him our hearts
and say,

42 “We've sinned!
We've rebelled against you,
and you haven't forgiven us!

43 Anger is written all over you,
as you pursue and slaughter us
without showing pity.

44 You are behind a wall of clouds
that blocks out our prayers.

45 You allowed nations
to treat us like garbage;

46 our enemies curse us.

47 We are terrified and trapped,
caught and crushed.”

48 My people are destroyed!
Tears flood my eyes,

49 and they won't stop

50 until the [Lord] looks down
from heaven and helps.

51 I am horrified when I see
what enemies have done
to the young women of our city.

52 No one had reason to hate me,
but I was hunted down
like a bird.

53 Then they tried to kill me
by tossing me into a pit
and throwing stones at me.

54 Water covered my head—
I thought I was gone.

55 From the bottom of the pit,
I prayed to you, [Lord].

56 I begged you to listen.
“Help!” I shouted. “Save me!”
You answered my prayer

57 and came when I was in need.
You told me, “Don't worry!”

58 You rescued me
and saved my life.

59 You saw them abuse me, [Lord],
so make things right.

60 You know every plot
they have made against me.

61 Yes, you know their insults
and their evil plans.

62 All day long they attack
with words and whispers.

63 No matter what they are doing,
they keep on mocking me.

64 Pay them back for everything
they have done, [Lord]!

65 Put your curse on them
and make them suffer.t

66 Get angry and go after them
until not a trace is left
under the heavens.