Old Testament >

< Lamentations >

< Chapter 3 >

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

User Annotations

Add your own annotation
Displaying 1 to 1 of 1 annotation
John Wesley's Notes
Explanation posted by John Wesley on 2007-01-01 00:00:00
The faithful bewail their misery, ver. 1-21. They nourish their hope by considering the justice, providence, and mercies of God, ver. 22-36. They stir up themselves to repentance, patience, prayers and confidence of deliverance for themselves, and divine vengeance on their enemies, ver. 37-66.
Please rate: