Lamentations 3

1 Ref I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

2 Ref He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.

3 Ref Surely against me he turns his hand again and again all the day.

4 Ref My flesh and my skin has he made old; he has broken my bones.

5 Ref He has built against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.

6 Ref He has made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.

7 Ref He has walled me about, that I can't go forth; he has made my chain heavy.

8 Ref Yes, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.

9 Ref He has walled up my ways with hewn stone; he has made my paths crooked.

10 Ref He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.

11 Ref He has turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he has made me desolate.

12 Ref He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

13 Ref He has caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins.

14 Ref I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.

15 Ref He has filled me with bitterness, he has sated me with wormwood.

16 Ref He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones; he has covered me with ashes.

17 Ref You have removed my soul far off from peace; I forgot prosperity.

18 Ref I said, My strength is perished, and my expectation from Yahweh.

19 Ref Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

20 Ref My soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me.

21 Ref This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope.

22 Ref [It is of] Yahweh's loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn't fail.

23 Ref They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

24 Ref Yahweh is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

25 Ref Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.

26 Ref It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh.

27 Ref It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

28 Ref Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he has laid it on him.

29 Ref Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.

30 Ref Let him give his cheek to him who strikes him; let him be filled full with reproach.

31 Ref For the Lord will not cast off forever.

32 Ref For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.

33 Ref For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.

34 Ref To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,

35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,

36 Ref To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord doesn't approve.

37 Ref Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn't command it?

38 Ref Doesn't evil and good come out of the mouth of the Most High?

39 Ref Why does a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

40 Ref Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Yahweh.

41 Ref Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.

42 Ref We have transgressed and have rebelled; you have not pardoned.

43 Ref You have covered with anger and pursued us; you have killed, you have not pitied.

44 Ref You have covered yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.

45 Ref You have made us an off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.

46 Ref All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.

47 Ref Fear and the pit are come on us, devastation and destruction.

48 Ref My eye runs down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

49 Ref My eye pours down, and doesn't cease, without any intermission,

50 Ref Until Yahweh look down, and see from heaven.

51 Ref My eye affects my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.

52 Ref They have chased me sore like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause.

53 Ref They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone on me.

54 Ref Waters flowed over my head; I said, I am cut off.

55 Ref I called on your name, Yahweh, out of the lowest dungeon.

56 Ref You heard my voice; don't hide your ear at my breathing, at my cry.

57 Ref You drew near in the day that I called on you; you said, Don't be afraid.

58 Ref Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life.

59 Ref Yahweh, you have seen my wrong; judge you my cause.

60 Ref You have seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me.

61 Ref You have heard their reproach, Yahweh, and all their devices against me,

62 Ref The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.

63 Ref See you their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song.

64 Ref You will render to them a recompense, Yahweh, according to the work of their hands.

65 Ref You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them.

66 Ref You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Yahweh.

Chapter 3 of 5

Begin Your Journey of Faith

We all start at different points in our walk with Christ. No matter where you are, we're here to support you as you grow in faith.

Accept Jesus Christ as Your Savior

If you haven’t made the decision to follow Jesus yet, we want to walk with you as you discover the new life He offers.

Read "A Truly Free Gift"

What Guides Our Walk With Christ

Discover the biblical truths and core beliefs that shape how we live, serve, and walk faithfully with Christ each day.

Explore Our Beliefs

Join a Community of Believers

Don’t walk through life alone. Find others to connect with, whether in person or online, and grow together in Christ.

Discover Where We Meet