Lamentations 3:19-66
Lexham English Bible
19 Remember my misery and bitterness,
the wormwood[a] and venom!
20 Surely my soul remembers
and bows down within me.
21 This I have reminded myself,[b]
therefore I will hope.
22 The loyal love of Yahweh does not cease;
his compassions do not come to an end.
23 They are new in the morning,
great is your faithfulness.
24 “Yahweh is my portion,”
says my soul,
“Thus I will hope on him.”
25 Yahweh is good to those who wait on him,
to the person that seeks him.
26 It is good to wait in silence
for the salvation of Yahweh.
27 It is good for a man who carries
the yoke of his childhood.
28 Let him sit alone and be silent
when he[c] has laid it on him.
29 Let him put[d] his mouth in the dust;
perhaps there is hope.
30 Let him give a cheek to his smiter,
let him be filled with disgrace.
31 For the Lord will not reject
forever.
32 For even though he causes grief he has compassion
according to the greatness of his royal love.
33 He does not afflict willingly,[e]
or grieve anyone.[f]
34 To crush under his feet
all the prisoners of the earth;
35 to deprive one of justice[g]
before the face of the Most High;
36 to subvert a person in a legal dispute
—the Lord has not found delight in these things.
37 Who can speak[h] and it will happen
if the Lord has not commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that disaster and good will come?
39 Why should any living person complain
about his sin?
40 Let us test and examine our ways;
let us return to Yahweh.
41 Let us lift up our hearts with our hands
to God in the heavens.
42 We ourselves have transgressed and rebelled,
you have not forgiven.
43 You have covered yourself in anger[i] and pursued us,
you have slain and not shown mercy.
44 You have covered yourself in a cloud
so that prayer cannot pass through.[j]
45 You have made us scum and refuse
in the midst of the nations.
46 All our enemies
have opened their mouth against us.
47 Fear and a pit have come upon us,
desolation and destruction.
48 Channels of water run down my eyes
because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 My eyes have poured down unceasingly
without respite,
50 until Yahweh looks down
and sees from heaven.
51 My eyes inflict my soul
because of all the daughters of my city.
52 My enemies hunt me without cause,
like a bird.
53 They have silenced me in a pit,[k]
they have thrown a stone at me.
54 Water has flown over my head,
I said, “I am cut off.”
55 I have called your name, O Yahweh,
from the depths of the pit.
56 You have heard my cry, “Do not shut your ear
to my cry for help, for my relief!”
57 You came near on a day when I called you,
you said, “Do not fear!”
58 O Lord, you have pleaded for my cause,[l]
you have redeemed my life.
59 You have seen my injustice, O Yahweh;
judge my case.
60 You have seen all their vengeance,
all there plans against me.
61 You have heard their disgrace, O Yahweh,
all their plans against me.
62 The lips and meditation of my assailants
are against me all day long.
63 Look at their sitting and their standing,
I am their mocking song.
64 Return to them what is deserved, O Yahweh,
according to the work of their hands.
65 Give them a stubborn heart;
curse them!
66 Pursue them in anger[m] and destroy them
from under the heavens of Yahweh.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 3:19 Or “the bitter substance”
- Lamentations 3:21 Literally “I have brought back to my heart”
- Lamentations 3:28 Yahweh
- Lamentations 3:29 Literally “him give”
- Lamentations 3:33 Literally “afflict from the heart”
- Lamentations 3:33 Literally “the sons of men”
- Lamentations 3:35 Literally “to turn aside the judgment of a man”
- Lamentations 3:37 Literally “Who is this that speaks”
- Lamentations 3:43 Literally “in the nose”
- Lamentations 3:44 Literally “from a passing prayer”
- Lamentations 3:53 Literally “they have put to silence my life in a pit”
- Lamentations 3:58 Literally “the legal disputes of my soul”
- Lamentations 3:66 Literally “in nose”
Lamentations 3:19-66
New King James Version
19 Remember my affliction and roaming,
(A)The wormwood and the [a]gall.
20 My soul still remembers
And [b]sinks within me.
21 This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have (B)hope.
22 (C)Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions (D)fail not.
23 They are new (E)every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my (F)portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I (G)hope in Him!”
25 The Lord is good to those who (H)wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
26 It is good that one should (I)hope (J)and wait quietly
For the salvation of the Lord.
27 (K)It is good for a man to bear
The yoke in his youth.
28 (L)Let him sit alone and keep silent,
Because God has laid it on him;
29 (M)Let him put his mouth in the dust—
There may yet be hope.
30 (N)Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him,
And be full of reproach.
31 (O)For the Lord will not cast off forever.
32 Though He causes grief,
Yet He will show compassion
According to the multitude of His mercies.
33 For (P)He does not afflict [c]willingly,
Nor grieve the children of men.
34 To crush under one’s feet
All the prisoners of the earth,
35 To turn aside the justice due a man
Before the face of the Most High,
36 Or subvert a man in his cause—
(Q)The Lord does not approve.
37 Who is he (R)who speaks and it comes to pass,
When the Lord has not commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
That (S)woe and well-being proceed?
39 (T)Why should a living man [d]complain,
(U)A man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us search out and examine our ways,
And turn back to the Lord;
41 (V)Let us lift our hearts and hands
To God in heaven.
42 (W)We have transgressed and rebelled;
You have not pardoned.
43 You have covered Yourself with anger
And pursued us;
You have slain and not pitied.
44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud,
That prayer should not pass through.
45 You have made us an (X)offscouring and refuse
In the midst of the peoples.
46 (Y)All our enemies
Have opened their mouths against us.
47 (Z)Fear and a snare have come upon us,
(AA)Desolation and destruction.
48 (AB)My eyes overflow with rivers of water
For the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 (AC)My eyes flow and do not cease,
Without interruption,
50 Till the Lord from heaven
(AD)Looks down and sees.
51 My eyes bring suffering to my soul
Because of all the daughters of my city.
52 My enemies (AE)without cause
Hunted me down like a bird.
53 They [e]silenced my life (AF)in the pit
And (AG)threw [f]stones at me.
54 (AH)The waters flowed over my head;
(AI)I said, “I am cut off!”
55 (AJ)I called on Your name, O Lord,
From the lowest (AK)pit.
56 (AL)You have heard my voice:
“Do not hide Your ear
From my sighing, from my cry for help.”
57 You (AM)drew near on the day I called on You,
And said, (AN)“Do not fear!”
58 O Lord, You have (AO)pleaded the case for my soul;
(AP)You have redeemed my life.
59 O Lord, You have seen [g]how I am wronged;
(AQ)Judge my case.
60 You have seen all their vengeance,
All their (AR)schemes against me.
61 You have heard their reproach, O Lord,
All their schemes against me,
62 The lips of my enemies
And their whispering against me all the day.
63 Look at their (AS)sitting down and their rising up;
I am their taunting song.
64 (AT)Repay them, O Lord,
According to the work of their hands.
65 Give them [h]a veiled heart;
Your curse be upon them!
66 In Your anger,
Pursue and destroy them
(AU)From under the heavens of the (AV)Lord.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 3:19 bitterness
- Lamentations 3:20 Lit. bowed down
- Lamentations 3:33 Lit. from His heart
- Lamentations 3:39 Or murmur
- Lamentations 3:53 LXX put to death
- Lamentations 3:53 Lit. a stone on
- Lamentations 3:59 Lit. my wrong
- Lamentations 3:65 A Jewish tradition sorrow of
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
