[1] I AM the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
[2] He has led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
[3] Surely against me is he turned; he turns his hand against me all the day.
[4] My flesh and my skin has he made old; he has broken my bones.
[5] He has built against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
[6] He has set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
[7] He has hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he has made my chain heavy.
[8] Also when I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayer.
[9] He has enclosed my ways with hewn stone, he has made my paths crooked.
[10] He was to me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
[11] He has turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he has made me desolate.
[12] He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
[13] He has 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 has filled me with bitterness, he has made me drunken with wormwood.
[16] He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he has covered me with ashes.
[17] And you have removed my soul far off from peace: I forgot prosperity.
[18] And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
[19] Remembering my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
[20] My soul has 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 your faithfulness.
[24] The LORD is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
[25] The LORD is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeks 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 of his youth.
[28] He sits alone and keeps silence, because he has borne it on him.
[29] He puts his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
[30] He gives his cheek to him that smites 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 does 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 approves not. ¶
[37] Who is he that says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord commands it not?
[38] Out of the mouth of the most High proceeds not evil and good?
[39] Why does 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 to God in the heavens.
[42] We have transgressed and have rebelled: you have not pardoned.
[43] You have covered with anger, and persecuted us: you have slain, you have not pitied.
[44] You have covered yourself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
[45] You have made us as the offscouring and refuse in the middle of the people.
[46] All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
[47] Fear and a snare is come on us, desolation and destruction.
[48] My eye runs down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
[49] My eye trickles down, and ceases not, without any intermission.
[50] Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
[51] My eye affects my heart because of all the daughters of my city.
[52] My enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
[53] They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone on me.
[54] Waters flowed over my head; then I said, I am cut off. ¶
[55] I called on your name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
[56] You have heard my voice: hide not your ear at my breathing, at my cry.
[57] You drew near in the day that I called on you: you said, Fear not.
[58] O LORD, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life.
[59] O LORD, you have seen my wrong: judge you my cause.
[60] You have seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
[61] You have 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 music. ¶
[64] Render to them a recompense, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
[65] Give them sorrow of heart, your curse to them.
[66] Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.
