Lamentations 3:25-66

New International Version

²⁵ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;^(A)
26 it is good to wait quietly^(B)
    for the salvation of the Lord.^(C)
27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke
    while he is young.

²⁸ Let him sit alone in silence,^(D)
    for the Lord has laid it on him.
²⁹ Let him bury his face in the dust^(E)—
    there may yet be hope.^(F)
30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,^(G)
    and let him be filled with disgrace.^(H)

³¹ For no one is cast off
    by the Lord forever.^(I)
32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
    so great is his unfailing love.^(J)
33 For he does not willingly bring affliction
    or grief to anyone.^(K)

³⁴ To crush underfoot
    all prisoners in the land,
³⁵ to deny people their rights
    before the Most High,^(L)
36 to deprive them of justice—
    would not the Lord see such things?^(M)

³⁷ Who can speak and have it happen
    if the Lord has not decreed it?^(N)
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
    that both calamities and good things come?^(O)
39 Why should the living complain
    when punished for their sins?^(P)

⁴⁰ Let us examine our ways and test them,^(Q)
    and let us return to the Lord.^(R)
41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
    to God in heaven,^(S) and say:
⁴² “We have sinned and rebelled^(T)
    and you have not forgiven.^(U)

⁴³ “You have covered yourself with anger and pursued^(V) us;
    you have slain without pity.^(W)
44 You have covered yourself with a cloud^(X)
    so that no prayer^(Y) can get through.^(Z)
45 You have made us scum^(AA) and refuse
    among the nations.

⁴⁶ “All our enemies have opened their mouths
    wide^(AB) against us.^(AC)
47 We have suffered terror and pitfalls,^(AD)
    ruin and destruction.^(AE)”
⁴⁸ Streams of tears^(AF) flow from my eyes^(AG)
    because my people are destroyed.^(AH)

⁴⁹ My eyes will flow unceasingly,
    without relief,^(AI)
50 until the Lord looks down
    from heaven and sees.^(AJ)
51 What I see brings grief to my soul
    because of all the women of my city.

⁵² Those who were my enemies without cause
    hunted me like a bird.^(AK)
53 They tried to end my life in a pit^(AL)
    and threw stones at me;
⁵⁴ the waters closed over my head,^(AM)
    and I thought I was about to perish.^(AN)

⁵⁵ I called on your name, Lord,
    from the depths^(AO) of the pit.^(AP)
56 You heard my plea:^(AQ) “Do not close your ears
    to my cry for relief.”
⁵⁷ You came near^(AR) when I called you,
    and you said, “Do not fear.”^(AS)

⁵⁸ You, Lord, took up my case;^(AT)
    you redeemed my life.^(AU)
59 Lord, you have seen the wrong done to me.^(AV)
    Uphold my cause!^(AW)
60 You have seen the depth of their vengeance,
    all their plots against me.^(AX)

⁶¹ Lord, you have heard their insults,^(AY)
    all their plots against me—
⁶² what my enemies whisper and mutter
    against me all day long.^(AZ)
63 Look at them! Sitting or standing,
    they mock me in their songs.^(BA)

⁶⁴ Pay them back what they deserve, Lord,
    for what their hands have done.^(BB)
65 Put a veil over their hearts,^(BC)
    and may your curse be on them!
⁶⁶ Pursue^(BD) them in anger and destroy them
    from under the heavens of the Lord.