[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.
