Lamentations 3 — KJV

3 Verse 1 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. ^{Verse 2} He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light. ^{Verse 3} Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day. ^{Verse 4} My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones. ^{Verse 5} He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail. ^{Verse 6} He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old. ^{Verse 7} He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy. ^{Verse 8} Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. ^{Verse 9} He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked. ^{Verse 10} He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places. ^{Verse 11} He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate. ^{Verse 12} He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. ^{Verse 13} He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins. ^{Verse 14} I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day. ^{Verse 15} He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. ^{Verse 16} He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes. ^{Verse 17} And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. ^{Verse 18} And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD: ^{Verse 19} Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. ^{Verse 20} My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. ^{Verse 21} This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. ^{Verse 22} It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. ^{Verse 23} They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. ^{Verse 24} The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. ^{Verse 25} The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. ^{Verse 26} It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. ^{Verse 27} It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. ^{Verse 28} He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. ^{Verse 29} He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. ^{Verse 30} He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach. ^{Verse 31} For the Lord will not cast off for ever: ^{Verse 32} But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. ^{Verse 33} For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. ^{Verse 34} To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth, ^{Verse 35} To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High, ^{Verse 36} To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not. ^{Verse 37} Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? ^{Verse 38} Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good? ^{Verse 39} Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? ^{Verse 40} Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. ^{Verse 41} Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. ^{Verse 42} We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned. ^{Verse 43} Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. ^{Verse 44} Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through. ^{Verse 45} Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people. ^{Verse 46} All our enemies have opened their mouths against us. ^{Verse 47} Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction. ^{Verse 48} Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people. ^{Verse 49} Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission, ^{Verse 50} Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven. ^{Verse 51} Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city. ^{Verse 52} Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause. ^{Verse 53} They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me. ^{Verse 54} Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off. ^{Verse 55} I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon. ^{Verse 56} Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. ^{Verse 57} Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not. ^{Verse 58} O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life. ^{Verse 59} O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause. ^{Verse 60} Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me. ^{Verse 61} Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me; ^{Verse 62} The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day. ^{Verse 63} Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick. ^{Verse 64} Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands. ^{Verse 65} Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them. ^{Verse 66} Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.