O Lord, (A)you have deceived me,
    and I was deceived;
(B)you are stronger than I,
    and you have prevailed.
(C)I have become a laughingstock all the day;
    everyone mocks me.
For whenever I speak, I cry out,
    I shout, (D)“Violence and destruction!”
For (E)the word of the Lord has become for me
    (F)a reproach and (G)derision all day long.
If I say, “I will not mention him,
    or speak any more in his name,”
(H)there is in my heart as it were a burning fire
    shut up in my bones,
and (I)I am weary with holding it in,
    and I cannot.
10 (J)For I hear many whispering.
    (K)Terror is on every side!
“Denounce him! (L)Let us denounce him!”
    say all my (M)close friends,
    (N)watching for (O)my fall.
“Perhaps he will be deceived;
    then (P)we can overcome him
    and take our revenge on him.”
11 But (Q)the Lord is with me as a dread warrior;
    therefore my persecutors will stumble;
    (R)they will not overcome me.
(S)They will be greatly shamed,
    for they will not succeed.
Their (T)eternal dishonor
    will never be forgotten.
12 O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous,
    (U)who sees the heart and the mind,[a]
let me see your vengeance upon them,
    for to you have I committed my cause.

13 (V)Sing to the Lord;
    praise the Lord!
For he has delivered the life of the needy
    from the hand of evildoers.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 20:12 Hebrew kidneys

Jeremiah’s Complaint

You deceived[a](A) me, Lord, and I was deceived[b];
    you overpowered(B) me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed(C) all day long;
    everyone mocks(D) me.
Whenever I speak, I cry out
    proclaiming violence and destruction.(E)
So the word of the Lord has brought me
    insult and reproach(F) all day long.
But if I say, “I will not mention his word
    or speak anymore in his name,”(G)
his word is in my heart like a fire,(H)
    a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;(I)
    indeed, I cannot.
10 I hear many whispering,
    “Terror(J) on every side!
    Denounce(K) him! Let’s denounce him!”
All my friends(L)
    are waiting for me to slip,(M) saying,
“Perhaps he will be deceived;
    then we will prevail(N) over him
    and take our revenge(O) on him.”

11 But the Lord(P) is with me like a mighty warrior;
    so my persecutors(Q) will stumble and not prevail.(R)
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;(S)
    their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12 Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous
    and probe the heart and mind,(T)
let me see your vengeance(U) on them,
    for to you I have committed(V) my cause.

13 Sing(W) to the Lord!
    Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues(X) the life of the needy
    from the hands of the wicked.(Y)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 20:7 Or persuaded
  2. Jeremiah 20:7 Or persuaded