1Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits , as the grapegleanings of the vintage : there is no cluster to eat : my soul desired the firstripe fruit . 2The good 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 . 3That they may do evil with both hands earnestly , the prince asketh , and the judge asketh for a reward ; and the great man , he uttereth his mischievous desire : so they wrap it up . 4The best of them is as a brier : the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge : the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh ; now shall be their perplexity . 5Trust ye not in a friend , put ye not confidence in a guide : keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom . 6For the son dishonoureth 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
7Therefore I will look unto the LORD ; 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 , the LORD shall be a light unto me. 9I will bear the indignation of the LORD , 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 she that is mine enemy shall see it , and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God ? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets .
God's Faithfulness and Forgiveness
11In the day that thy walls are to be built , in that day shall the decree be far removed . 12In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria , and from the fortified cities , and from the fortress even to the river , and from sea to sea , and from mountain to mountain . 13Notwithstanding the land shall 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 thine heritage , which dwell solitarily in the wood , in the midst of Carmel : let them feed in Bashan and Gilead , as in the days of old . 15According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things . 16The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might : they shall lay their hand upon their mouth , their ears shall be deaf . 17They shall lick the dust like a serpent , they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth : they shall be afraid of the LORD our God , and shall fear because of thee. 18Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity , and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage ? he retaineth not his anger for ever , because he delighteth in mercy . 19He will turn again , he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities ; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea . 20Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob , and the mercy to Abraham , which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old .