There Is Still Hope
The Prophet Speaks:
1 I have suffered much
because God was angry.
2 He chased me into a dark place,
where no light could enter.
3 I am the only one he punishes
over and over again,
without ever stopping.
4 God caused my skin and flesh
to waste away,
and he crushed my bones.
5 He attacked and surrounded me
with hardships and trouble;
6 he forced me to sit in the dark
like someone long dead.
7 God built a fence around me
that I cannot climb over,
and he chained me down.
8 Even when I shouted
and prayed for help,
he refused to listen.
9 God put big rocks in my way
and made me follow
a crooked path.
10 God was like a bear or a lion
waiting in ambush for me;
11 he dragged me from the road,
then tore me to shreds.
12 God took careful aim
and shot his arrows
13 straight through my heart.
14 I am a joke to everyone—
no one ever stops
making fun of me.
15 God has turned my life sour.
16 He made me eat gravel
and rubbed me in the dirt.
17 I cannot find peace
or remember happiness.
18 I tell myself, “I am finished!
I can't count on the Lord
to do anything for me.”
19 Just thinking of my troubles
and my lonely wandering
makes me miserable.
20 That's all I ever think about,
and I am depressed.
21 Then I remember something
that fills me with hope.
22 The Lord's kindness never fails!
If he had not been merciful,
we would have been destroyed.
23 The Lord can always be trusted
to show mercy each morning.
24 Deep in my heart I say,
“The Lord is all I need;
I can depend on him!”
25 The Lord is kind to everyone
who trusts and obeys him.
26 It is good to wait patiently
for the Lord to save us.
27 When we are young,
it is good to struggle hard
28 and to sit silently alone,
if this is what
the Lord intends.
29 Being rubbed in the dirt
can teach us a lesson;
30 we can also learn from insults
and hard knocks.
31 The Lord won't always reject us!
32 He causes a lot of suffering,
but he also has pity
because of his great love.
33 The Lord doesn't enjoy
sending grief or pain.
34 Don't trample prisoners
under your feet
35 or cheat anyone out of
what is rightfully theirs.
God Most High sees everything,
36 and he knows when you refuse
to give someone a fair trial.
37 No one can do anything
without the Lord's approval.
38 Good and bad each happen
at the command
of God Most High.
39 We're still alive!
We shouldn't complain
when we are being punished
for our sins.
40 Instead, we should think
about the way we are living,
and turn back to the Lord.
41 When we lift our hands
in prayer to God in heaven,
we should offer him our hearts
and say, 42 “We've sinned!
We've rebelled against you,
and you haven't forgiven us!
43 Anger is written all over you,
as you pursue and slaughter us
without showing pity.
44 You are behind a wall of clouds
that blocks out our prayers.
45 You allowed nations
to treat us like garbage;
46 our enemies curse us.
47 We are terrified and trapped,
caught and crushed.”
48 My people are destroyed!
Tears flood my eyes,
49 and they won't stop
50 until the Lord looks down
from heaven and helps.
51 I am horrified when I see
what enemies have done
to the young women of our city.
52 No one had reason to hate me,
but I was hunted down
like a bird.
53 Then they tried to kill me
by tossing me into a pit
and throwing stones at me.
54 Water covered my head—
I thought I was gone.
55 From the bottom of the pit,
I prayed to you, Lord.
56 I begged you to listen.
“Help!” I shouted. “Save me!”
You answered my prayer
57 and came when I was in need.
You told me, “Don't worry!”
58 You rescued me
and saved my life.
59 You saw them abuse me, Lord,
so make things right.
60 You know every plot
they have made against me.
61 Yes, you know their insults
and their evil plans.
62 All day long they attack
with words and whispers.
63 No matter what they are doing,
they keep on mocking me.
64 Pay them back for everything
they have done, Lord!
65 Put your curse on them
and make them suffer.
66 Get angry and go after them
until not a trace is left
under the heavens.
1 I am the man, that hath seene affliction in the rod of his indignation. 2 He hath ledde mee, and brought me into darkenes, but not to light. 3 Surely he is turned against me: he turneth his hand against me all the day. 4 My flesh and my skinne hath he caused to waxe olde, and he hath broken my bones. 5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall, and labour. 6 He hath set me in darke places, as they that be dead for euer. 7 He hath hedged about mee, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chaines heauy. 8 Also when I cry and showte, hee shutteth out my prayer. 9 He hath stopped vp my wayes with hewen stone, and turned away my paths. 10 He was vnto me as a beare lying in waite, and as a Lion in secret places. 11 He hath stopped my wayes, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate. 12 He hath bent his bow and made me a marke for the arrow. 13 Hee caused the arrowes of his quiuer to enter into my reines. 14 I was a derision to all my people, and their song all the day. 15 He hath filled me with bitternes, and made me drunken with wormewood. 16 He hath also broken my teeth with stones, and hath couered me with ashes. 17 Thus my soule was farre off from peace: I forgate prosperitie, 18 And I saide, My strength and mine hope is perished from the Lord, 19 Remembring mine affliction, and my mourning, the wormewood and the gall. 20 My soule hath them in remembrance, and is humbled in me. 21 I consider this in mine heart: therefore haue I hope. 22 It is the Lordes mercies that wee are not consumed, because his compassions faile not. 23 They are renued euery morning: great is thy faithfulnesse. 24 The Lord is my portion, sayth my soule: therefore wil I hope in him. 25 The Lord is good vnto them, that trust in him, and to the soule that seeketh him. 26 It is good both to trust, and to waite for the saluation of the Lord. 27 It is good for a man that he beare the yoke in his youth. 28 He sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it vpon him. 29 He putteth his mouth in the dust, if there may be hope. 30 Hee giueth his cheeke to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproches. 31 For the Lord will not forsake for euer. 32 But though he sende affliction, yet will he haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. 33 For he doeth not punish willingly, nor afflict the children of men, 34 In stamping vnder his feete all the prisoners of the earth, 35 In ouerthrowing the right of a man before the face of the most high, 36 In subuerting a man in his cause: the Lord seeth it not. 37 Who is he then that sayth, and it commeth to passe, and the Lord commandeth it not? 38 Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not euill and good? 39 Wherefore then is the liuing man sorowfull? man suffreth for his sinne. 40 Let vs search and try our wayes, and turne againe to the Lord. 41 Let vs lift vp our hearts with our handes vnto God in the heauens. 42 We haue sinned, and haue rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared. 43 Thou hast couered vs with wrath, and persecuted vs: thou hast slaine and not spared. 44 Thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloude, that our prayer should not passe through. 45 Thou hast made vs as the ofscouring and refuse in the middes of the people. 46 All our enemies haue opened their mouth against vs. 47 Feare, and a snare is come vpon vs with desolation and destruction. 48 Mine eye casteth out riuers of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people. 49 Mine eye droppeth without stay and ceaseth not, 50 Till the Lord looke downe, and beholde from heauen. 51 Mine eye breaketh mine heart because of all the daughters of my citie. 52 Mine enemies chased me sore like a birde, without cause. 53 They haue shut vp my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone vpon me. 54 Waters flowed ouer mine head, then thought I, I am destroyed. 55 I called vpon thy Name, O Lord, out of the lowe dungeon. 56 Thou hast heard my voyce: stoppe not thine eare from my sigh and from my cry. 57 Thou drewest neere in the day that I called vpon thee: thou saydest, Feare not. 58 O Lord, thou hast maintained the cause of my soule, and hast redeemed my life. 59 O Lord, thou hast seene my wrong, iudge thou my cause. 60 Thou hast seene all their vengeance, and all their deuises against me. 61 Thou hast heard their reproch, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me: 62 The lippes also of those that rose against me, and their whispering against me continually. 63 Behold, their sitting downe and their rising vp, how I am their song. 64 Giue them a recompence, O Lord, according to the worke of their handes. 65 Giue them sorow of heart, euen thy curse to them. 66 Persecute with wrath and destroy them from vnder the heauen, O Lord.