[a]I am the man who has seen affliction(A)
    by the rod of the Lord’s wrath.(B)
He has driven me away and made me walk
    in darkness(C) rather than light;
indeed, he has turned his hand against me(D)
    again and again, all day long.

He has made my skin and my flesh grow old(E)
    and has broken my bones.(F)
He has besieged me and surrounded me
    with bitterness(G) and hardship.(H)
He has made me dwell in darkness
    like those long dead.(I)

He has walled me in so I cannot escape;(J)
    he has weighed me down with chains.(K)
Even when I call out or cry for help,(L)
    he shuts out my prayer.(M)
He has barred(N) my way with blocks of stone;
    he has made my paths crooked.(O)

10 Like a bear lying in wait,
    like a lion(P) in hiding,(Q)
11 he dragged me from the path and mangled(R) me
    and left me without help.
12 He drew his bow(S)
    and made me the target(T) for his arrows.(U)

13 He pierced(V) my heart
    with arrows from his quiver.(W)
14 I became the laughingstock(X) of all my people;(Y)
    they mock me in song(Z) all day long.
15 He has filled me with bitter herbs
    and given me gall to drink.(AA)

16 He has broken my teeth with gravel;(AB)
    he has trampled me in the dust.(AC)
17 I have been deprived of peace;
    I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 So I say, “My splendor is gone
    and all that I had hoped from the Lord.”(AD)

19 I remember my affliction and my wandering,
    the bitterness(AE) and the gall.(AF)
20 I well remember them,
    and my soul is downcast(AG) within me.(AH)
21 Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the Lord’s great love(AI) we are not consumed,(AJ)
    for his compassions never fail.(AK)
23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.(AL)
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;(AM)
    therefore I will wait for him.”

25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;(AN)
26 it is good to wait quietly(AO)
    for the salvation of the Lord.(AP)
27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke
    while he is young.

28 Let him sit alone in silence,(AQ)
    for the Lord has laid it on him.
29 Let him bury his face in the dust(AR)
    there may yet be hope.(AS)
30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,(AT)
    and let him be filled with disgrace.(AU)

31 For no one is cast off
    by the Lord forever.(AV)
32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
    so great is his unfailing love.(AW)
33 For he does not willingly bring affliction
    or grief to anyone.(AX)

34 To crush underfoot
    all prisoners in the land,
35 to deny people their rights
    before the Most High,(AY)
36 to deprive them of justice—
    would not the Lord see such things?(AZ)

37 Who can speak and have it happen
    if the Lord has not decreed it?(BA)
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
    that both calamities and good things come?(BB)
39 Why should the living complain
    when punished for their sins?(BC)

40 Let us examine our ways and test them,(BD)
    and let us return to the Lord.(BE)
41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
    to God in heaven,(BF) and say:
42 “We have sinned and rebelled(BG)
    and you have not forgiven.(BH)

43 “You have covered yourself with anger and pursued(BI) us;
    you have slain without pity.(BJ)
44 You have covered yourself with a cloud(BK)
    so that no prayer(BL) can get through.(BM)
45 You have made us scum(BN) and refuse
    among the nations.

46 “All our enemies have opened their mouths
    wide(BO) against us.(BP)
47 We have suffered terror and pitfalls,(BQ)
    ruin and destruction.(BR)
48 Streams of tears(BS) flow from my eyes(BT)
    because my people are destroyed.(BU)

49 My eyes will flow unceasingly,
    without relief,(BV)
50 until the Lord looks down
    from heaven and sees.(BW)
51 What I see brings grief to my soul
    because of all the women of my city.

52 Those who were my enemies without cause
    hunted me like a bird.(BX)
53 They tried to end my life in a pit(BY)
    and threw stones at me;
54 the waters closed over my head,(BZ)
    and I thought I was about to perish.(CA)

55 I called on your name, Lord,
    from the depths(CB) of the pit.(CC)
56 You heard my plea:(CD) “Do not close your ears
    to my cry for relief.”
57 You came near(CE) when I called you,
    and you said, “Do not fear.”(CF)

58 You, Lord, took up my case;(CG)
    you redeemed my life.(CH)
59 Lord, you have seen the wrong done to me.(CI)
    Uphold my cause!(CJ)
60 You have seen the depth of their vengeance,
    all their plots against me.(CK)

61 Lord, you have heard their insults,(CL)
    all their plots against me—
62 what my enemies whisper and mutter
    against me all day long.(CM)
63 Look at them! Sitting or standing,
    they mock me in their songs.(CN)

64 Pay them back what they deserve, Lord,
    for what their hands have done.(CO)
65 Put a veil over their hearts,(CP)
    and may your curse be on them!
66 Pursue(CQ) them in anger and destroy them
    from under the heavens of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 3:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem; the verses of each stanza begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and the verses within each stanza begin with the same letter.

Jeremiah Shares Israel’s Misery

I am the man who has (A)seen misery
Because of the rod of His wrath.
He has driven me and made me walk
In (B)darkness and not in light.
Indeed, He has (C)turned His hand against me
Repeatedly all the day.
He has consumed my (D)flesh and my skin,
He has (E)broken my bones.
He has [a](F)besieged and surrounded me with [b](G)bitterness and hardship.
He has made me live in (H)dark places,
Like those who have long been dead.
He has (I)walled me in so that I cannot go out;
He has made my [c](J)chain heavy.
Even when I cry out and call for help,
He (K)shuts out my prayer.
He has (L)blocked my ways with cut stone;
He has twisted my paths.
10 He is to me like a bear lying in wait,
Like a lion in secret places.
11 He has made my ways deviate, and (M)torn me to pieces;
He has made me desolate.
12 He (N)bent His bow
And (O)took aim at me as a target for the arrow.
13 He made the [d]arrows of His (P)quiver
Enter my [e]inward parts.
14 I have become a (Q)laughingstock to all my people,
Their (R)song of ridicule all the day.
15 He has (S)filled me with bitterness,
He has made me drink plenty of wormwood.
16 He has also (T)made my teeth grind with (U)gravel;
He has made me cower in the (V)dust.
17 My soul has been excluded (W)from peace;
I have forgotten [f]happiness.
18 So I say, “My [g]strength has failed,
And so has my (X)hope from the Lord.”

Hope of Relief in God’s Mercy

19 Remember my misery and my homelessness, the (Y)wormwood and [h]bitterness.
20 (Z)My soul certainly remembers,
And [i]is (AA)bent over within me.
21 I recall this to my mind,
Therefore I [j](AB)wait.
22 [k]The Lords (AC)acts of mercy indeed do not end,
(AD)For His compassions do not fail.
23 They are new (AE)every morning;
Great is (AF)Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my (AG)portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I [l](AH)wait for Him.”
25 The Lord is good to those who [m](AI)await Him,
To the [n]person who (AJ)seeks Him.
26 It is good that he (AK)waits silently
For the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man to bear
The yoke in his youth.
28 Let him (AL)sit alone and keep quiet,
Since He has laid it on him.
29 Let him [o]put his mouth in the (AM)dust;
Perhaps there is (AN)hope.
30 Let him give his (AO)cheek to the one who is going to strike him;
Let him be filled with shame.
31 For the Lord will (AP)not reject forever,
32 For if He causes grief,
Then He will have (AQ)compassion
In proportion to His abundant mercy.
33 For He (AR)does not [p]afflict [q]willingly
Or [r]grieve the sons of mankind.
34 To crush under [s]one’s feet
All the prisoners of the [t]land,
35 To [u]deprive a man of (AS)justice
In the presence of the Most High,
36 To [v](AT)defraud someone in his lawsuit—
Of these things the Lord does not [w]approve.
37 Who is [x]there who speaks and it (AU)comes to pass,
Unless the Lord has commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
That [y](AV)both adversity and good proceed?

39 Of what can any living [z]mortal, or any man,
(AW)Complain [aa]in view of his sins?
40 Let’s (AX)examine and search out our ways,
And let’s return to the Lord.
41 We (AY)raise our heart [ab]and hands
Toward God in heaven;
42 We have (AZ)done wrong and rebelled;
You have (BA)not pardoned.
43 You have covered Yourself with (BB)anger
And (BC)pursued us;
You have slain and (BD)have not spared.
44 You have (BE)veiled Yourself with a cloud
So that (BF)no prayer can pass through.
45 You have made us mere (BG)refuse and rubbish
In the midst of the peoples.
46 All our enemies have (BH)opened their mouths against us.
47 (BI)Panic and pitfall have come upon us,
Devastation and destruction;
48 My [ac](BJ)eyes run down with streams of water
Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 My eyes flow (BK)unceasingly,
Without stopping,
50 Until the Lord (BL)looks down
And sees from heaven.
51 My eyes bring pain to my soul
Because of all the daughters of my city.
52 My enemies (BM)without reason
Hunted me down (BN)like a bird;
53 They have silenced [ad]me (BO)in the pit
And have [ae](BP)thrown stones on me.
54 Waters flowed (BQ)over my head;
I said, “I am [af]cut off!”
55 I (BR)called on Your name, Lord,
Out of the lowest pit.
56 You have (BS)heard my voice,
(BT)Do not cover Your ear from my plea for relief,
From my cry for help.”
57 You (BU)came near on the day I called to You;
You said, “(BV)Do not fear!”
58 Lord, You (BW)have pleaded my soul’s cause;
You have (BX)redeemed my life.
59 Lord, You have (BY)seen my oppression;
(BZ)Judge my case.
60 You have seen all their vengeance,
All their (CA)schemes against me.
61 You have heard their (CB)reproach, Lord,
All their schemes against me.
62 The (CC)lips of my assailants and their talk
Are against me all day long.
63 Look at their [ag](CD)sitting and their rising;
(CE)I am their mocking song.
64 You will (CF)repay them, Lord,
In accordance with the work of their hands.
65 You will give them [ah](CG)shamelessness of heart,
Your curse will be on them.
66 You will (CH)pursue them in anger and eliminate them
From under the (CI)heavens of the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 3:5 Lit built against
  2. Lamentations 3:5 Lit poison
  3. Lamentations 3:7 Lit bronze piece
  4. Lamentations 3:13 Lit sons
  5. Lamentations 3:13 Lit kidneys
  6. Lamentations 3:17 Lit good
  7. Lamentations 3:18 Or splendor
  8. Lamentations 3:19 Lit poison
  9. Lamentations 3:20 Or bows down
  10. Lamentations 3:21 Lit have hope
  11. Lamentations 3:22 As in ancient versions; MT It is...mercy that we do not end
  12. Lamentations 3:24 Or hope in
  13. Lamentations 3:25 Or hope in
  14. Lamentations 3:25 Lit soul
  15. Lamentations 3:29 Lit give
  16. Lamentations 3:33 Or oppress
  17. Lamentations 3:33 Lit from His heart
  18. Lamentations 3:33 Or torment
  19. Lamentations 3:34 Lit his
  20. Lamentations 3:34 Or earth
  21. Lamentations 3:35 Or turn aside a man’s case
  22. Lamentations 3:36 Lit bend
  23. Lamentations 3:36 Lit see
  24. Lamentations 3:37 Lit this
  25. Lamentations 3:38 Lit the evil things and the good
  26. Lamentations 3:39 Or human being
  27. Lamentations 3:39 Or on the basis of
  28. Lamentations 3:41 Lit toward our
  29. Lamentations 3:48 Lit eye goes down
  30. Lamentations 3:53 Lit my life
  31. Lamentations 3:53 Or thrown a stone
  32. Lamentations 3:54 Or destroyed
  33. Lamentations 3:63 I.e., daily activities
  34. Lamentations 3:65 Or insanity

Great Is Your Faithfulness

(A)I am the man who has seen affliction
    under the (B)rod of his wrath;
he has driven and brought me
    (C)into darkness without any light;
surely against me he turns his hand
    again and again the whole day long.

He has made my flesh and my skin waste away;
    (D)he has broken my bones;
(E)he has besieged and enveloped me
    with (F)bitterness and tribulation;
(G)he has made me dwell in darkness
    like the dead of long ago.

(H)He has walled me about so that (I)I cannot escape;
    he has made my chains heavy;
though (J)I call and cry for help,
    he shuts out my prayer;
(K)he has blocked my ways with blocks of stones;
    he has made my paths crooked.

10 (L)He is a bear lying in wait for me,
    a lion in hiding;
11 (M)he turned aside my steps and (N)tore me to pieces;
    (O)he has made me desolate;
12 (P)he bent his bow (Q)and set me
    as a target for his arrow.

13 He drove into my kidneys
    (R)the arrows of his quiver;
14 (S)I have become the laughingstock of all peoples,
    (T)the object of their taunts all day long.
15 (U)He has filled me with bitterness;
    he has sated me with (V)wormwood.

16 (W)He has made my teeth grind on gravel,
    and (X)made me cower in ashes;
17 my soul is bereft of peace;
    I have forgotten what happiness[a] is;
18 (Y)so I say, “My endurance has perished;
    so has my hope from the Lord.”

19 (Z)Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
    (AA)the wormwood and (AB)the gall!
20 My soul continually remembers it
    (AC)and is bowed down within me.
21 But this I call to mind,
    and (AD)therefore I have hope:

22 (AE)The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;[b]
    (AF)his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new (AG)every morning;
    (AH)great is your faithfulness.
24 (AI)“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    (AJ)“therefore I will hope in him.”

25 The Lord is good to those who (AK)wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
26 (AL)It is good that one should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.
27 (AM)It is good for a man that he bear
    the yoke (AN)in his youth.

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

31 (AR)For the Lord will not
    cast off forever,
32 but, though he (AS)cause grief, (AT)he will have compassion
    (AU)according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
33 (AV)for he does not afflict from his heart
    or (AW)grieve the children of men.

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

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

40 Let us test and examine our ways,
    (BD)and return to the Lord!
41 (BE)Let us lift up our hearts and hands
    to God in heaven:
42 (BF)“We have transgressed and (BG)rebelled,
    and you have not forgiven.

43 “You have wrapped yourself with anger and pursued us,
    (BH)killing without pity;
44 (BI)you have wrapped yourself with a cloud
    so that no prayer can pass through.
45 (BJ)You have made us scum and garbage
    among the peoples.

46 (BK)“All our enemies
    open their mouths against us;
47 (BL)panic and pitfall have come upon us,
    devastation and (BM)destruction;
48 (BN)my eyes flow with rivers of tears
    because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.

49 (BO)“My eyes will flow without ceasing,
    without respite,
50 (BP)until the Lord from heaven
    looks down and sees;
51 my eyes cause me grief
    at the fate of all the daughters of my city.

52 (BQ)“I have been hunted (BR)like a bird
    by those who were my enemies (BS)without cause;
53 (BT)they flung me alive into the pit
    (BU)and cast stones on me;
54 (BV)water closed over my head;
    I said, (BW)‘I am lost.’

55 (BX)“I called on your name, O Lord,
    from the depths of the pit;
56 (BY)you heard my plea, ‘Do not close
    your ear to my cry for help!’
57 (BZ)You came near when I called on you;
    you said, (CA)‘Do not fear!’

58 “You have (CB)taken up my cause, (CC)O Lord;
    you have (CD)redeemed my life.
59 You have seen the wrong done to me, (CE)O Lord;
    judge my cause.
60 You have seen all their vengeance,
    all (CF)their plots against me.

61 (CG)“You have heard their taunts, O Lord,
    all (CH)their plots against me.
62 The lips and thoughts (CI)of my assailants
    are against me all the day long.
63 (CJ)Behold their sitting and their rising;
    (CK)I am the object of their taunts.

64 (CL)“You will repay them,[c] O Lord,
    (CM)according to the work of their hands.
65 You will give them[d] dullness of heart;
    your curse will be[e] on them.
66 You will pursue them[f] in anger and (CN)destroy them
    from under (CO)your heavens, O Lord.”[g]

Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 3:17 Hebrew good
  2. Lamentations 3:22 Syriac, Targum; Hebrew Because of the steadfast love of the Lord, we are not cut off
  3. Lamentations 3:64 Or Repay them
  4. Lamentations 3:65 Or Give them
  5. Lamentations 3:65 Or place your curse
  6. Lamentations 3:66 Or Pursue them
  7. Lamentations 3:66 Syriac (compare Septuagint, Vulgate); Hebrew the heavens of the Lord

I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

Me hath he led, and brought into darkness, and not into light.

Surely against me hath he turned again and again his hand all the day.

My flesh and my skin hath he wasted away, he hath broken my bones.

He hath built against me, and encompassed [me] with gall and toil.

He hath made me to dwell in dark places as those that have been long dead.

He hath hedged me about that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.

Even when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.

10 He is unto me [as] a bear lying in wait, a lion in secret places.

11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.

12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

14 I am become a derision to all my people; their song all the day.

15 He hath sated me with bitterness, he hath made me drunk with wormwood.

16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.

17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I have forgotten prosperity.

18 And I said, My strength is perished, and my hope in Jehovah.

19 Remember thou mine affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and the gall.

20 My soul hath [them] constantly in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

21 —This I recall to heart, therefore have I hope.

22 It is of Jehovah's loving-kindness we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not;

23 they are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

24 Jehovah is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

25 Jehovah is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.

26 It is good that one should both wait, and that in silence, for the salvation of Jehovah.

27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth:

28 He sitteth solitary and keepeth silence, because he hath laid it upon him;

29 he putteth his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope;

30 he giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him; he is filled full with reproach.

31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever;

32 but if he have caused grief, he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses:

33 for he doth not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.

34 To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,

35 to turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,

36 to wrong a man in his cause,—will not the Lord see it?

37 Who is he that saith, and there cometh to pass, what the Lord hath not commanded?

38 Out of the mouth of the Most High doth not there proceed evil and good?

39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah.

41 Let us lift up our heart with [our] hands unto God in the heavens.

42 We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.

43 Thou hast covered thyself with anger, and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not spared.

44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that prayer should not pass through.

45 Thou hast made us the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.

46 All our enemies have opened their mouth against us.

47 Fear and the pit are come upon us, devastation and ruin.

48 Mine eye runneth down with streams of water for the ruin of the daughter of my people.

49 Mine eye poureth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,

50 till Jehovah look down and behold from the heavens.

51 Mine eye affecteth my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.

52 They that are mine enemies without cause have chased me sore like a bird.

53 They have cut off my life in a pit, and cast a stone upon me.

54 Waters streamed over my head; I said, I am cut off.

55 I called upon thy name, Jehovah, out of the lowest pit.

56 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my sighing, at my cry.

57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee; thou saidst, Fear not.

58 Lord, thou hast pleaded the cause of my soul, thou hast redeemed my life.

59 Jehovah, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.

60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance, all their imaginations against me.

61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, all their imaginations against me;

62 the lips of those that rise up against me and their meditation against me all the day.

63 Behold thou their sitting down and their rising up: I am their song.

64 Render unto them a recompence, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands;

65 give them obduracy of heart, thy curse unto them;

66 pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Jehovah.

I Am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.

Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.

He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.

He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.

He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.

Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.

10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.

11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.

12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.

15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.

16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.

17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.

18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:

19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.

27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.

29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.

30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.

31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever:

32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

34 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.

35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,

36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.

37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.

41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

42 We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.

43 Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.

44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.

45 Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.

46 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.

47 Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.

48 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

49 Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission.

50 Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.

51 Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.

52 Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.

53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.

54 Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.

55 I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon.

56 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.

57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.

58 O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.

59 O Lord, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.

60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.

61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me;

62 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.

63 Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.

64 Render unto them a recompence, O Lord, according to the work of their hands.

65 Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.

66 Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the Lord.