Lamentations 3:21-66 - The Prophet - A Man Of Hope
21 This is what comes to mind, and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the LORD's gracious love we are not consumed, since his compassions never end. 23 They are new every morning great is your faithfulness! 24 "The LORD is all I have," says my soul, "Therefore I will trust in him."
25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the person who searches for him. 26 It is good to hope and wait patiently for the LORD's salvation. 27 It is good when a young man carries the yoke of discipline in his youth.
28 He is to sit apart and remain silent, because the LORD has laid it upon him. 29 Let him fall face down in the dust, so there may yet be hope. 30 He will endure being slapped in the face, bringing him public disgrace.
31 Indeed, the Lord will not always reject us 32 though he causes grief, his compassion abounds according to his gracious love. 33 For he does not deliberately hurt or grieve human beings.
34 When any of the prisoners of the earth are crushed underfoot, 35 when a person's rights are perverted in defiance of the Most High. 36 When a man is thwarted in his appeal, does the Lord condone it?
37 Who can command, and it happens, without the Lord having ordered it? 38 Do not both good and evil things proceed from the mouth of the Most High? 39 Why should anyone living complain, any mortal, about being punished for sin?
40 Let us examine our lifestyles, putting them to the test, and turn back to the LORD. 41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven. 42 As for us, we have sinned and rebelled; but you have not pardoned us.
43 Clothing yourself with anger, you pursued us. You killed without pity, 44 You covered yourself with a cloud that prayer cannot pierce. 45 You have reduced us to scum and garbage among the nations.
46 All our enemies jeer at us with gaping mouths. 47 Panic and pitfalls beset us, along with devastation and ruin. 48 My eyes run with rivers of tears over the destruction of my cherished people.
49 My tears pour down ceaselessly; I am far from relief 50 until the LORD bends down to see from heaven. 51 What I see grieves my soul because of all the young women of my city.
52 My enemies hunted me like a bird, viciously and without justification. 53 They dumped me alive into a pit, sealing me in with stone. 54 Water closed over my head, and I said, "I'm a dead man."
55 I called on your name, LORD, from the depths of the Pit, 56 You heard my voice don't close your ear to my sighs and cries. 57 You drew near when I called out to you. You said, "Stop being afraid"
58 Lord, you have defended my cause; you have redeemed my life. 59 LORD, you observed how I have been wronged; now make your ruling in my case. 60 You examined their plans for vengeance, all of their plots against me.
61 LORD, you listened to their insults all their plots against me, 62 the whisperings of my opponents, their scheming against me all day long. 63 Watch! Whether they sit down or stand up, they mock me with their songs.
64 Pay them back, LORD, according to their actions. 65 Give them an anguished heart; may your curse be upon them! 66 Pursue them in your anger and destroy them from under the LORD's heaven.