1Woe is me ! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits , as the grape gleanings of the vintage : there is no cluster to eat; my soul desireth the first-ripe fig . 2The godly man is perished out of the earth, and there is none upright among men : they all lie in wait for blood ; they hunt every man his brother with a net . 3Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently ; the prince asketh , and the judge is ready for a reward ; and the great man , he uttereth the evil desire of his soul : thus they weave it together . 4The best of them is as a brier ; the most upright is worse than a thorn hedge : the day of thy watchmen , even thy visitation , is come ; now shall be their perplexity . 5Trust ye not in a neighbor ; put ye not confidence in a friend ; keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom . 6For the son dishonoreth the father , the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law ; a man ’s enemies are the men of his own house .
The Hope of Restoration
7But as for me , I will look unto Jehovah ; I will wait for the God of my salvation : my God will hear me . 8Rejoice not against me , O mine enemy: when I fall , I shall arise ; when I sit in darkness , Jehovah will be a light unto me . 9I will bear the indignation of Jehovah , because I have sinned against him , until he plead my cause , and execute judgment for me : he will bring me forth to the light , and I shall behold his righteousness . 10Then mine enemy shall see it , and shame shall cover her who said unto me , Where is Jehovah thy God ? Mine eyes shall see my desire upon her ; now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets .
God's Faithfulness and Forgiveness
11A day for building thy walls ! in that day shall the decree be far removed . 12In that day shall they come unto thee from Assyria and the cities of Egypt , and from Egypt even to the River , and from sea to sea , and from mountain to mountain . 13Yet shall the land be desolate because of them that dwell therein , for the fruit of their doings .
The Future Glory of Zion
14Feed thy people with thy rod , the flock of thy heritage , which dwell solitarily, in the forest in the midst of Carmel : let them feed in Bashan and Gilead , as in the days of old . 15As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt will I show unto them marvellous things . 16The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might ; they shall lay their hand upon their mouth ; their ears shall be deaf . 17They shall lick the dust like a serpent ; like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their close places ; they shall come with fear unto Jehovah our God , and shall be afraid because of thee. 18Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity , and passeth over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage ? he retaineth not his anger for ever , because he delighteth in lovingkindness . 19He will again have compassion upon us ; he will tread our iniquities under foot ; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea . 20Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob , and the lovingkindness to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old .