Chapter 3

I [am] the man [that] hath seen¹ affliction by the rod of his wrath.

He hath led¹ me, and brought⁵⁵ [me into] darkness, but not [into] light.

Surely against me is he turned;⁴ he turneth⁴ his hand [against me] all the day.

My flesh and my skin hath he made old;¹⁴ he hath broken¹⁴ my bones.

He hath builded¹ against me, and compassed⁵⁵ [me] with gall and travail.

He hath set⁵² me in dark places, as [they that be] dead⁵ of old.

He hath hedged¹ me about, that I cannot get out:⁴ he hath made my chain heavy.⁵²

Also when I cry⁴ and shout,¹⁷ he shutteth out¹ my prayer.

He hath inclosed¹ my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.¹⁴

He [was] unto me [as] a bear lying in wait,⁶ [and as] a lion in secret places.

He hath turned aside³¹ my ways, and pulled me in pieces:¹⁷ he hath made¹ me desolate.⁶

He hath bent¹ his bow, and set⁵⁵ me as a mark for the arrow.

He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter⁵² into my reins.

I was a derision to all my people; [and] their song all the day.

He hath filled⁵² me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken⁵² with wormwood.

He hath also broken⁵⁵ my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered⁵² me with ashes.

And thou hast removed my soul far off⁴ from peace: I forgat¹ prosperity.

And I said,⁴ My strength and my hope is perished¹ from the LORD:

Remembering³ mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

My soul hath [them] still² in remembrance,⁴ and is humbled⁵⁵ in me.

This I recall⁵⁵ to my mind, therefore have I hope.⁵⁵

[It is of] the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed,¹ because his compassions fail¹ not.

[They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness.

The LORD [is] my portion, saith¹ my soul; therefore will I hope⁵⁵ in him.

The LORD [is] good unto them that wait⁶ for him, to the soul [that] seeketh⁴ him.

[It is] good that [a man] should both hope ^{2342 4} and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

[It is] good for a man that he bear⁴ the yoke in his youth.

He sitteth⁴ alone and keepeth silence,⁴ because he hath borne¹ [it] upon him.

He putteth⁴ his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.

He giveth⁴ [his] cheek to him that smiteth⁵⁶ him: he is filled⁴ full with reproach.

For the Lord will not cast off⁴ for ever:

But though he cause grief,⁵² yet will he have compassion¹⁴ according to the multitude of his mercies.

For he doth not afflict¹⁴ willingly nor grieve¹⁷ the children of men.

To crush¹⁵ under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,

To turn aside⁵³ the right of a man before the face of the most High,

To subvert¹⁵ a man in his cause, the Lord approveth¹ not.

Who [is] he [that] saith,¹ and it cometh to pass, [when] the Lord commandeth¹⁴ [it] not?

Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth⁴ not evil and good?

Wherefore doth a living man complain,¹⁰¹ a man for the punishment of his sins?

Let us search⁴ and try⁴ our ways, and turn again⁴ to the LORD.

Let us lift up⁴ our heart with [our] hands unto God in the heavens.

We have transgressed¹ and have rebelled:¹ thou hast not pardoned.¹

Thou hast covered¹ with anger, and persecuted⁴ us: thou hast slain,¹ thou hast not pitied.¹

Thou hast covered¹ thyself with a cloud, that [our] prayer should not pass through.²

Thou hast made⁴ us [as] the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.

All our enemies⁶ have opened¹ their mouths against us.

Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.

Mine eye runneth down⁴ with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

Mine eye trickleth down,⁸ and ceaseth⁴ not, without any intermission,

Till the LORD look down,⁵⁵ and behold⁴ from heaven.

Mine eye affecteth²² mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.

Mine enemies⁶ chased¹ me sore,² like a bird, without cause.

They have cut off¹ my life in the dungeon, and cast¹⁷ a stone upon me.

Waters flowed¹ over mine head; [then] I said,¹ I am cut off.⁸

I called¹ upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.

Thou hast heard¹ my voice: hide⁵⁵ not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.

Thou drewest near¹ in the day [that] I called⁴ upon thee: thou saidst,¹ Fear⁴ not.

O Lord, thou hast pleaded¹ the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed¹ my life.

O LORD, thou hast seen¹ my wrong: judge³ thou my cause.

Thou hast seen¹ all their vengeance [and] all their imaginations against me.

Thou hast heard¹ their reproach, O LORD, [and] all their imaginations against me;

The lips of those that rose up⁵ against me, and their device against me all the day.

Behold⁵⁴ their sitting down,² and their rising up; I [am] their musick.

Render⁵⁵ unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.

Give⁴ them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.

Persecute⁴ and destroy⁵⁵ them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.