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