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

O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.

For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.

Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

10 For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

11 But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.

12 But, O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.

13 Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

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