Lamentations 3:16-33

International Children’s Bible

¹⁶ The Lord broke my teeth with gravel.
    He crushed me into the dirt.
¹⁷ I have no more peace.
    I have forgotten what happiness is.
¹⁸ I said, “My strength is gone.
    I have no more hope that the Lord will help me.”

¹⁹ Lord, remember my suffering and how I have no home.
    Remember the misery and suffering.
²⁰ I remember them well.
    And I am very sad.
²¹ But I have hope
    when I think of this:

²² The Lord’s love never ends.
    His mercies never stop.
²³ They are new every morning.
    Lord, your loyalty is great.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is what I have left.
    So I have hope.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who put their hope in him.
    He is good to those who look to him for help.
²⁶ It is good to wait quietly
    for the Lord to save.
²⁷ It is good for a man to work hard
    while he is young.

²⁸ He should sit alone and be quiet
    because the Lord has given him hard work to do.
²⁹ He should bow to the Lord with his face to the ground.
    Maybe there is still hope.
³⁰ He should offer his cheek if someone wants to hit him.
    He should be filled with shame.

³¹ The Lord will not reject
    his people forever.
³² Although the Lord brings sorrow, he also has mercy.
    His love is great.
³³ The Lord does not like to punish people
    or make them sad.