King James Version of the Bible

Book of Lamentations

Chapter 3



3:1  I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
3:2  He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
3:3  Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
3:4  My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
3:5  He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
3:6  He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
3:7  He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
3:8  Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
3:9  He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
3:10  He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
3:11  He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
3:12  He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
3:13  He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
3:14  I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
3:15  He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
3:16  He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
3:17  And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
3:18  And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
3:19  Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
3:20  My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
3:21  This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
3:22  It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
3:24  The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
3:25  The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
3:26  It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
3:27  It is good for a man that he bear the yoke of his youth.
3:28  He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
3:29  He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
3:30  He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
3:31  For the LORD will not cast off for ever:
3:32  But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
3:33  For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
3:34  To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.
3:35  To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
3:36  To subvert a man in his cause, the LORD approveth not.
3:37  Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
3:38  Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
3:39  Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
3:40  Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
3:41  Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
3:42  We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
3:43  Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
3:44  Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
3:45  Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
3:46  All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
3:47  Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
3:48  Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
3:49  Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission.
3:50  Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
3:51  Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
3:52  Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
3:53  They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
3:54  Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
3:55  I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
3:56  Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
3:57  Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
3:58  O LORD, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
3:59  O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
3:60  Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
3:61  Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;
3:62  The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
3:63  Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.
3:64  Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
3:65  Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
3:66  Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.