1I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath . 2He hath led me, and brought me into darkness , but not into light . 3Surely against me is he turned ; he turneth his hand against me 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 set me in dark places , as they that be dead of old . 7He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out : he hath made my chain heavy . 8Also when I cry and shout , he shutteth out my prayer . 9He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone , he hath made my paths crooked . 10He was unto me as a bear lying in wait , and 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 arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins . 14I was a derision to all my people ; and their song all the day . 15He hath filled me with bitterness , he hath made me drunken 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 and my hope is perished from the LORD :
Hope in the Midst of Despair
19Remembering mine affliction and my misery , the wormwood and the gall . 20My soul hath them still in remembrance , and is humbled in me. 21This I recall to my mind , therefore have I hope . 22It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed , because his compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning : great is thy faithfulness . 24The LORD is my portion , saith my soul ; therefore will I hope in him. 25The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD . 27It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth . 28He sitteth alone and keepeth silence , because he hath borne it upon him. 29He putteth his mouth in the dust ; if so be there may be hope . 30He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach . 31For the Lord will not cast off for ever : 32But though he cause grief , yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies . 33For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men .
The Call to Wait on the Lord
34To crush under his feet 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 proceedeth 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 the LORD . 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 persecuted us: thou hast slain , thou hast not pitied . 44Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud , that our prayer should not pass through . 45Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people . 46All our enemies have opened their mouths against us. 47Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction . 48Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people . 49Mine eye trickleth down , and ceaseth not, without any intermission , 50Till the LORD look down , and behold from heaven . 51Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city . 52Mine enemies chased me sore , like a bird , without cause . 53They have cut off my life in the dungeon , and cast a stone upon me. 54Waters flowed over mine head ; then I said , I am cut off . 55I called upon thy name , O LORD , out of the low dungeon . 56Thou hast heard 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 LORD , thou hast seen my wrong : judge thou my cause . 60Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me. 61Thou hast heard their reproach , O LORD , and all their imaginations against me; 62The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day . 63Behold their sitting down , and their rising up ; I am their musick . 64Render unto them a recompence , O LORD , according to the work of their hands . 65Give them sorrow of heart , thy curse unto them. 66Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD .