1I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath . 2He hath led me and caused me to walk in darkness , and not in light. 3Surely against me he turneth his hand again and again all the day . 4My flesh and my skin hath he made old ; he hath broken my bones . 5He hath builded against me , and compassed me with gall and travail . 6He hath made me to dwell in dark places , as those that have been long dead . 7He hath walled me about , that I cannot go forth ; he hath made my chain heavy . 8Yea , when I cry , and call for help , he shutteth out my prayer . 9He hath walled up my ways with hewn stone ; he hath made my paths crooked . 10He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places . 11He hath turned aside my ways , and pulled me in pieces ; he hath made me desolate . 12He hath bent his bow , and set me as a mark for the arrow . 13He hath caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins . 14I am become a derision to all my people , and their song all the day . 15He hath filled me with bitterness , he hath sated me with wormwood . 16He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones ; he hath covered me with ashes. 17And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace ; I forgat prosperity . 18And I said, My strength is perished, and mine expectation from Jehovah .
Hope in the Midst of Despair
19Remember mine affliction and my misery , the wormwood and the gall . 20My soul hath them still in remembrance , and is bowed down within me . 21This I recall to my mind ; therefore have I hope . 22It is of Jehovah ’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed , because his compassions fail not . 23They are new every morning ; great is thy faithfulness. 24Jehovah is my portion , saith my soul ; therefore will I hope in him . 25Jehovah is good unto them that wait for him , to the soul that seeketh him . 26It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Jehovah . 27It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth . 28Let him sit alone and keep silence , because he hath laid it upon him . 29Let him put his mouth in the dust , if so be there may be hope . 30Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him ; let him be filled full with reproach . 31For the Lord will not cast off for ever . 32For though he cause grief , yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses . 33For he doth not afflict willingly , nor grieve the children of men .
The Call to Wait on the Lord
34To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth, 35To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High , 36To subvert a man in his cause , the Lord approveth not . 37Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass , when the Lord commandeth it not ? 38Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good ? 39Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins ? 40Let us search and try our ways , and turn again to Jehovah . 41Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens . 42We have transgressed and have rebelled ; thou hast not pardoned . 43Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; thou hast slain , thou hast not pitied . 44Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud , so that no prayer can pass through . 45Thou hast made us an offscouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples . 46All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us . 47Fear and the pit are come upon us , devastation and destruction . 48Mine eye runneth down with streams of water , for the destruction of the daughter of my people . 49Mine eye poureth down , and ceaseth not , without any intermission , 50Till Jehovah look down , and behold from heaven . 51Mine eye affecteth my soul , because of all the daughters of my city . 52They have chased me sore like a bird , they that are mine enemies without cause . 53They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone upon me . 54Waters flowed over my head ; I said, I am cut off . 55I called upon thy name , O Jehovah , out of the lowest dungeon. 56Thou heardest my voice ; hide not thine ear at my breathing , at my cry . 57Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee; thou saidst, Fear not . 58O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul ; thou hast redeemed my life . 59O Jehovah , thou hast seen my wrong ; judge thou my cause . 60Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me . 61Thou hast heard their reproach , O Jehovah , and all their devices against me , 62The lips of those that rose up against me , and their device against me all the day . 63Behold thou their sitting down , and their rising up ; I am their song . 64Thou wilt render unto them a recompense , O Jehovah , according to the work of their hands . 65Thou wilt give them hardness of heart , thy curse unto them . 66Thou wilt pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Jehovah .