Lamentations 3:19-42

English Standard Version

^19 (A)Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
    ^(B)the wormwood and ^(C)the gall!
²⁰ My soul continually remembers it
    ^(D)and is bowed down within me.
²¹ But this I call to mind,
    and ^(E)therefore I have hope:

^22 (F)The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;^{[a]
    (G)}his mercies never come to an end;
²³ they are new ^(H)every morning;
    ^(I)great is your faithfulness.
^24 (J)“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    ^(K)“therefore I will hope in him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who ^(L)wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
^26 (M)It is good that one should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.
^27 (N)It is good for a man that he bear
    the yoke ^(O)in his youth.

²⁸ Let him ^(P)sit alone in silence
    when it is laid on him;
^29 (Q)let him put his mouth in the dust—
    there may yet be hope;
^30 (R)let him give his cheek to the one who strikes,
    and let him be filled with insults.

^31 (S)For the Lord will not
    cast off forever,
³² but, though he ^(T)cause grief, ^(U)he will have compassion
    ^(V)according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
^33 (W)for he does not afflict from his heart
    or ^(X)grieve the children of men.

³⁴ To crush underfoot
    all ^(Y)the prisoners of the earth,
^35 (Z)to deny a man justice
    in the presence of the Most High,
³⁶ to subvert a man in his lawsuit,
    ^(AA)the Lord does not approve.

^37 (AB)Who has spoken and it came to pass,
    unless the Lord has commanded it?
^38 (AC)Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
    that good and bad come?
^39 (AD)Why should a living man complain,
    a man, about the punishment of his sins?

⁴⁰ Let us test and examine our ways,
    ^(AE)and return to the Lord!
^41 (AF)Let us lift up our hearts and hands
    to God in heaven:
^42 (AG)“We have transgressed and ^(AH)rebelled,
    and you have not forgiven.