i am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath
he hath led me and brought me into darkness but not into light
surely against me is he turned he turneth his hand against me all the day
my flesh and my skin hath he made old he hath broken my bones
he hath builded against me and compassed me with gall and travail
he hath set me in dark places as they that be dead of old
he hath hedged me about that i cannot get out he hath made my chain heavy
also when i cry and shout he shutteth out my prayer
he hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone he hath made my paths crooked
he was unto me as a bear lying in wait and as a lion in secret places
he hath turned aside my ways and pulled me in pieces he hath made me desolate
he hath bent his bow and set me as a mark for the arrow
he hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins
i was a derision to all my people and their song all the day
he hath filled me with bitterness he hath made me drunken with wormwood
he hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones he hath covered me with ashes
and thou hast removed my soul far off from peace i forgat prosperity
and i said my strength and my hope is perished from the lord
remembering mine affliction and my misery the wormwood and the gall
my soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled
this i recall to my mind therefore have i hope
it is of the lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail
they are new every morning great is thy faithfulness
the lord is my portion saith my soul therefore will i hope
the lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh
it is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the lord
it is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth
he sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath borne
he putteth his mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope
he giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him he is filled full with reproach
for the lord will not cast off for ever
but though he cause grief yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies
for he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men
to crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth
to turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most high
to subvert a man in his cause the lord approveth
who is he that saith and it cometh to pass when the lord commandeth
out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not evil and good
wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins
let us search and try our ways and turn again to the lord
let us lift up our heart with our hands unto god in the heavens
we have transgressed and have rebelled thou hast not pardoned
thou hast covered with anger and persecuted us thou hast slain thou hast not pitied
thou hast covered thyself with a cloud that our prayer should not pass through
thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people
all our enemies have opened their mouths
fear and a snare is come upon us desolation and destruction
mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people
mine eye trickleth down and ceaseth not without any intermission
till the lord look down and behold from heaven
mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city
mine enemies chased me sore like a bird without cause
they have cut off my life in the dungeon and cast a stone
waters flowed over mine head then i said i am cut off
i called upon thy name o lord out of the low dungeon
thou hast heard my voice hide not thine ear at my breathing at my cry
thou drewest near in the day that i called upon thee thou saidst fear
o lord thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul thou hast redeemed my life
o lord thou hast seen my wrong judge thou my cause
thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations
thou hast heard their reproach o lord and all their imaginations
the lips of those that rose up against me and their device against me all the day
behold their sitting down and their rising up i am their musick
render unto them a recompence o lord according to the work of their hands
give them sorrow of heart thy curse
persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the lord