Lamentations 3

1 I [the speaker] am the man [strong and able] who has seen [experienced, looked after] affliction [trouble, hardship, misery] under [by the authority of] the rod [staff] of God’s [the supreme Judge] wrath [fury, anger, outburst of passion]. word study 2 He has driven me away [forced me to depart, led me into exile] and made me walk [caused me to go, led me to journey] in darkness [spiritual gloom, misery] instead of light [happiness, spiritual illumination, God’s presence]. word study 3 Indeed [surely, certainly], He keeps turning [reversing, overturning] His hand [power, strength, direction] against me [to my harm, in opposition] all [every, the entire] day [a 24-hour period, a span of time] long [continually, repeatedly]. word study 4 He has worn away [made old, decayed] my flesh [body, living being] and skin [human hide, outer covering]; He has shattered [broken, ruptured] my bones [the substance of my being, my inner self]. word study 5 He has besieged [builded against, surrounded] me and surrounded [compassed] me with bitterness [gall, poison] and hardship [travail, weariness]. word study 6 He has made me dwell [to sit or remain, abide] in darkness [a state of being without light] like those [as they that be] dead [to die or be lifeless] for ages [forever or an eternity, like the dead of old]. word study 7 He has walled [hedged, built a barrier] me in so I cannot [am unable to] escape; He has weighed [made heavy, honored with a burden] me down with chains [fetters, heavy bronze bonds]. word study 8 Even [also, too] when I cry out [shout for help, call loudly] and plead [cry, entreat] for help, He shuts out [closes, blocks] my prayer [supplication, request to God]. word study 9 He has [completely] barred my ways [paths, roads] with [hewn] cut stones; He has made my [life’s journey, spiritual] paths crooked [twisted, turned away from God]. word study 10 He [the adversary, a fierce enemy] is a bear [slow-moving, yet powerful] lying in wait [as a lion in secret places, to ambush], a lion hiding [concealed, in secret] in ambush [to attack, lying in wait]. word study 11 He forced [turned aside, removed from] me off my path [way of life, journey] and tore [pulled, ripped] me to pieces; He left [set, placed] me without [devoid of, lacking] help [aid, assistance]. word study 12 He bent [trod, stepped on] His bow [an archer’s weapon] and set me as [appointed, stationed] the target [mark, guardhouse] for His arrow [sharp object, instrument of judgment]. word study 13 He pierced [shot, caused to enter] my kidneys [inmost parts, reins] with His arrows [the sons of His quiver, shafts of His quiver]. word study 14 I am [become, have been made] a laughingstock [derision, object of scorn] to all [every, the entire] my people [nation, community]; they mock [laugh at, scorn] me in song [music, instrumental music] all [every, the whole] day [a 24-hour period, a figurative space of time] long. word study 15 He has filled [satisfied, made full] me with bitterness [a strong bitter taste, painful experience]; He has intoxicated [made drunken, filled to excess] me with wormwood [a poisonous plant]. word study 16 He has ground [broken, crushed] my teeth with gravel [small stones, sharp grit] and trampled [cowered, humiliated] me in the dust [ashes, worthlessness]. word study 17 My soul [the essence of a person] has been deprived [removed far off, cast away] of peace [shalom, completeness and wellness]; I have forgotten [neglected, disregarded] what prosperity [good, welfare] is [means, entails, includes]. word study 18 So I say [to myself, confess], “My strength [power, ability] has perished [is cut off, destroyed], along with my hope [expectation, trust] from the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God].” word study 19 Remember [keep in mind, recalling] my affliction [misery, trouble] and wandering [as an outcast, feeling lost], the wormwood [a poisonous plant] and the gall [poison, a harmful substance]. word study 20 Surely my soul [the essence of a person] remembers [to recall, to mark] and is humbled [bowed down, sinking into depression] within me [upon my heart, in my inner being]. word study 21 Yet I call [bring to mind, recall] this [these things, this situation] to mind, and therefore [on this account, for this reason] I have [wait with expectation, trust in] hope [confident expectation, patience]: word study 22 Because of the loving devotion [faithful love, kindness] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord of mercy] we are not consumed [utterly destroyed, completely devastated], for His mercies [compassions, tender love] never fail [come to an end, are never exhausted]. word study 23 They are [completely renewed, fresh] new every morning [at the break of day, with each dawn]; great [abundant, exceeding] is Your [steadfast, unwavering] faithfulness [firmness, security, fidelity]! word study 24 “The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is my portion [inheritance, all I need],” says my soul [my inner being, living essence], “therefore [so, in this confidence] I will hope [wait, trust] in Him [my Savior, my Rock].” word study 25 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is good [pleasant, beneficial] to those who wait [to await, to gather] for Him, to the soul [the essence of a person, the living being] who seeks [to ask, to worship] Him. word study 26 It is [beneficial, pleasant] good to wait [hope and] quietly [in silence, stillness] for the [deliverance, rescue] salvation of the [Yehovah] LORD. word study 27 It is [beneficial, pleasant] good for a man [a great man] to bear [to lift, carry] the yoke [a wooden beam] while he is still [in his youth] young [in his early years, during youth]. word study 28 Let him sit [in solitude, by himself] alone in silence [stillness, quiet contemplation], for God [the Almighty] has disciplined [laid upon, borne] him. word study 29 Let him bury [bow low, put, or set] his face [lip, mouth, or edge] in the dust [dry earth, clay, or mortar]— perhaps [if so be, if by chance, or peradventure] there is [exists, or being] still [yet, or remaining] hope [a cord that attaches, expectancy, or waiting]. word study 30 Let him offer [turn, give, or present] his cheek [jaw, or the side of the face] to the one who would strike [hit, smite, or slap] him; let him be filled [satisfied, or have enough of] with reproach [shame, scorn, or disgrace]. word study 31 For [because of God’s nature] the Lord [Adonay, the reverenced One] will not [under no circumstances] cast us off [reject, abandon, or forsake] forever [to the age, always, without end]. word study 32 Even if He causes [sends, brings about] grief [suffering, affliction], He will show [have, demonstrate] compassion [pity, mercy] according to [in proportion to, because of] His abundant [great, multitude of] loving devotion [kindness, mercies, faithful love]. word study 33 For He [has no pleasure in] does not willingly afflict [trouble, cause grief] or grieve [suffer, cause sadness] the sons [children, descendants] of men [human beings, mankind]. word study 34 To crush [bruise or oppress] underfoot [beneath one’s feet, in a position of subjection] all [every single one, the entirety of] the prisoners [captives or bound ones, those restrained] of the land [earth, territory, or region], word study 35 to deny [refuse, turn away] a man [a great man] justice [right, judgment] before [in the presence of, over-against] the Most High [the supreme God, the Most Exalted], word study 36 to subvert [pervert or twist unjustly] a man [a human being, Adam] in his lawsuit [strife or dispute, cause]— of these [such actions, things] the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign God] does not [lacking approval, displeasing] approve [see or regard with favor]. word study 37 Who [the one with authority] has spoken [to say, command, or promise] and it came to pass [happened, came into being], unless [if not, except when] the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign God] has ordained [commanded, appointed, or decreed] it [the event, circumstance, or situation]? word study 38 Do not both [evil, moral or natural harm] adversity and [pleasant, beneficial] good come from the mouth [lip, edge of something] of the Most High [supreme power and authority]? word study 39 Why should any [living, breathing] mortal man [a human being, a person] complain [murmur, grumble], in view of [because of, as a result of] his [own personal] sins [transgressions, rebellions against God]? word study 40 Let us [search and try, examine carefully] examine and test our ways [paths, manner of life], and turn [turn again, return to] back to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] [turning back to, coming back to]. word study 41 Let us lift up [with sincere devotion] our hearts [the innermost part of our being, including mind, will, and emotions] and hands [palms, in a gesture of surrender] to God [the supreme Strength and Power] in heaven [the visible universe and the abode of God]: word study 42 “We [as a group of people including the speaker] have sinned [transgressed, broken away from authority] and rebelled [resisted, disobeyed]; You [addressing God directly] have not [indicating absence or negation] forgiven [pardon, shown mercy, to forgive and be merciful].” word study 43 You have covered [with wrath, in anger] Yourself [your face, your countenance] in anger [strong displeasure] and pursued [chased after, followed with hostile intent] us; You have killed [slain, destroyed] without [not] pity [mercy, sparing]. word study 44 You have covered [hidden, fenced] Yourself with a cloud [a veil, a barrier] that no prayer [supplication, request to God] can pass [cross over, penetrate] through. word study 45 You have made us [offscouring, worthless trash] scum [refuse, that which is thrown away] and refuse [garbage, things of no value] among [in the midst of, surrounded by] the nations [peoples, Gentile countries]. word study 46 All [everything, every single one] our enemies [adversaries, those who oppose us] open [set free, uttering] their mouths [lips, the edge of speech] against [upon, in opposition to] us. word study 47 Panic [fear, dread] and pitfall [snare, trap] have come upon us [sudden, overwhelming]— devastation [desolation, ruin] and destruction [breaking, shattering]. word study 48 Streams [rivulets, rivers of water] of tears [weeping, lamentation] flow from my eyes over the destruction [breaking, shattering] of the daughter [a female child, a nation] of my people [a community, a nation]. word study 49 My eyes [the sources of my tears] overflow [pours down, trickles] unceasingly [without any intermission, continually], without relief [no rest, no cessation], word study 50 until the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] looks down [gazes or peeps out, overlooks] from heaven [the visible universe and the abode of God] and sees [to look after, provide for, behold]. word study 51 My eyes bring grief [torment, deep sorrow] to my soul [the essence of my being, my living self] because of all [every single one, the entirety] the daughters [women, female inhabitants] of my city [town, community, the place I call home]. word study 52 Without cause [for nothing, in vain] my enemies [those who oppose me] hunted [chased relentlessly, pursued] me like a bird [a little sparrow, a fragile creature]. word study 53 They dropped me [tried to kill me, cut off my life] alive [having physical or spiritual life, still breathing] into a pit [cistern, dungeon, or prison] and cast [threw, laid] stones [rocks, weights] upon me [on top of me, to bury me]. word study 54 The waters flowed [flooding] over my head [the chief or upper part of the body], and I thought [said to myself, considered] I was going to die [be cut off, perish, as if severed from life]. word study 55 I called [invoked, cried out to] on Your name [identity, character, and honor], O LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God], out of the depths [lowermost parts, the lowest points] of the Pit [cistern, prison, or a place of darkness]. word study 56 You heard [listened to, heeded] my plea [voice, cry for help]: “Do not [let not, hide not] ignore [conceal, turn away from] my cry [sighing, desperate call] for relief [respite, breathing room].” word study 57 You [came to me] drew near when I called [cried out, invoked] on You; You said [declared, spoke], “Do [Fear] not [have no fear, be not afraid] be afraid.” word study 58 You [as my Advocate, defending my cause] defend my cause, O [Adonay, my sovereign Lord] Lord; You [through redemption, buying back my life] redeem [rescuing, saving] my life [my soul, my very being]. word study 59 You have seen [with perfect knowledge and understanding], O LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], the wrong [oppression, injustice] done to me; vindicate [judge, avenge, bring justice to] my cause [my right, my justice]! word study 60 You have seen [observed, looked after] all their malice [vengeance, evil intentions], all their plots [devices, imaginations] against me [toward my harm, against my well-being]. word study 61 O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], You have heard [listened with attention and obedience] their insults [reproach, scorn, or shame], all [everything, every kind] their plots [devices, imaginations, or plans] against me— word study 62 the slander [lies, false accusations] and murmuring [whispering, complaining] of my assailants [those who rise up against me, enemies] against me all [the entire, every] day [24-hour period, a span of time] long [continually, without end]. word study 63 When they sit [dwell, remain, or abide] and when they rise [stand up, get up from a seated position], see [look, regard carefully, or show favor] how they mock [ridicule, scorn, or deride] me in song [a mocking or derisive song, their music]. word study 64 You will pay them back [render unto them a recompense] what they deserve, O LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], according to the work [deed, action] of their hands [strength, power]. word study 65 Put [give, impose] a veil [covering, hardness] of anguish [sorrow, heartache] over their hearts [minds, intellect]; may Your curse [imprecation, condemnation] be upon them [to them, against them]! word study 66 You will pursue [chase down, persecute] them in anger [wrath] and exterminate [destroy, annihilate, desolate] them from under [beneath, underneath] Your heavens [the visible universe, sky, and spiritual realm], O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study