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