Lamentations 3 in Puritan & Reformed Writings

[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.