The Prophet’s Afflictions

1I am the man, that hath seene affliction in the rod of his indignation.

2He hath ledde mee, and brought me into darkenes, but not to light.

3Surely he is turned against me: he turneth his hand against me all the day.

4My flesh and my skinne hath he caused to waxe olde, and he hath broken my bones.

5He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall, and labour.

6He hath set me in darke places, as they that be dead for euer.

7He hath hedged about mee, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chaines heauy.

8Also when I cry and showte, hee shutteth out my prayer.

9He hath stopped vp my wayes with hewen stone, and turned away my paths.

10He was vnto me as a beare lying in waite, and as a Lion in secret places.

11He hath stopped my wayes, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.

12He hath bent his bow & made me a marke for the arrow.

13Hee caused the arrowes of his quiuer to enter into my reines.

14I was a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.

15He hath filled me with bitternes, & made me drunken with wormewood.

16He hath also broken my teeth with stones, and hath couered me with ashes.

17Thus my soule was farre off from peace: I forgate prosperitie,

18And I saide, My strength & mine hope is perished from the Lord,

The Prophet’s Hope

19Remembring mine affliction, & my mourning, the wormewood and the gall.

20My soule hath them in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

21I consider this in mine heart: therefore haue I hope.

22It is the Lordes mercies that wee are not consumed, because his compassions faile not.

23They are renued euery morning: great is thy faithfulnesse.

24The Lorde is my portion, sayth my soule: therefore wil I hope in him.

25The Lord is good vnto them, that trust in him, and to the soule that seeketh him.

26It is good both to trust, and to waite for the saluation of the Lord.

27It is good for a man that he beare the yoke in his youth.

28He sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it vpon him.

29He putteth his mouth in the dust, if there may be hope.

30Hee giueth his cheeke to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproches.

31For the Lord will not forsake for euer.

32But though he sende affliction, yet will he haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

33For he doeth not punish willingly, nor afflict the children of men,

34In stamping vnder his feete all the prisoners of the earth,

35In ouerthrowing the right of a man before the face of the most high,

36In subuerting a man in his cause: the Lord seeth it not.

God’s Justice

37Who is he then that sayth, & it commeth to passe, and the Lord commandeth it not?

38Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not euill and good?

39Wherefore then is the liuing man sorowfull? man suffreth for his sinne.

40Let vs search and try our wayes, and turne againe to the Lord.

41Let vs lift vp our hearts with our handes vnto God in the heauens.

42We haue sinned, and haue rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared.

43Thou hast couered vs with wrath, and persecuted vs: thou hast slaine and not spared.

44Thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloude, that our prayer should not passe through.

45Thou hast made vs as the ofscouring and refuse in the middes of the people.

46All our enemies haue opened their mouth against vs.

47Feare, and a snare is come vpon vs with desolation and destruction.

48Mine eye casteth out riuers of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

49Mine eye droppeth without stay and ceaseth not,

50Till the Lorde looke downe, and beholde from heauen.

51Mine eye breaketh mine heart because of all the daughters of my citie.

52Mine enemies chased me sore like a birde, without cause.

53They haue shut vp my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone vpon me.

54Waters flowed ouer mine head, then thought I, I am destroyed.

55I called vpon thy Name, O Lorde, out of the lowe dungeon.

56Thou hast heard my voyce: stoppe not thine eare from my sigh and from my cry.

57Thou drewest neere in the day that I called vpon thee: thou saydest, Feare not.

58O Lord, thou hast maintained the cause of my soule, and hast redeemed my life.

59O Lorde, thou hast seene my wrong, iudge thou my cause.

60Thou hast seene all their vengeance, and all their deuises against me.

61Thou hast heard their reproch, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me:

62The lippes also of those that rose against me, and their whispering against me continually.

63Behold, their sitting downe and their rising vp, how I am their song.

64Giue them a recompence, O Lord, according to the worke of their handes.

65Giue them sorow of heart, euen thy curse to them.

66Persecute with wrath & destroy them from vnder the heauen, O Lord.