1. I am a man who has seen the sufferingthat comes from the rod of the Lord’s anger.
2. He led meinto darkness, not light.
3. He turned his hand against meagain and again, all day long.
4. He wore out my flesh and skinand broke my bones.
5. He surrounded me with sadnessand attacked me with grief.
6. He made me sit in the dark,like those who have been dead a long time.
7. He shut me in so I could not get out;he put heavy chains on me.
8. I cry out and beg for help,but he ignores my prayer.
9. He blocked my way with a stone walland led me in the wrong direction.
10. He is like a bear ready to attack me,like a lion in hiding.
11. He led me the wrong way and let me strayand left me without help.
12. He prepared to shoot his bowand made me the target for his arrows.
13. He shot me in the kidneyswith the arrows from his bag.
14. I was a joke to all my people,who make fun of me with songs all day long.
15. The Lord filled me with misery;he made me drunk with suffering.
16. He broke my teeth with graveland trampled me into the dirt.
17. I have no more peace.I have forgotten what happiness is.
18. I said, “My strength is gone,and I have no hope in the Lord.”
19. Lord, remember my suffering and my misery,my sorrow and trouble.
20. Please remember meand think about me.
21. But I have hopewhen I think of this:
22. The Lord’s love never ends;his mercies never stop.
23. They are new every morning;Lord, your loyalty is great.
24. I say to myself, “The Lord is mine,so I hope in him.”
25. The Lord is good to those who hope in him,to those who seek him.
26. It is good to wait quietlyfor the Lord to save.
27. It is good for someone to work hardwhile he is young.
28. He should sit alone and be quiet;the Lord has given him hard work to do.
29. He should bow down to the ground;maybe there is still hope.
30. He should let anyone slap his cheek;he should be filled with shame.
31. The Lord will not rejecthis people forever.
32. Although he brings sorrow,he also has mercy and great love.
33. He does not like to punish peopleor make them sad.
34. He sees if any prisoner of the earthis crushed under his feet;
35. he sees if someone is treated unfairlybefore the Most High God;
36. the Lord seesif someone is cheated in his case in court.
37. Nobody can speak and have it happenunless the Lord commands it.
38. Both bad and good thingscome by the command of the Most High God.
39. No one should complainwhen he is punished for his sins.
40. Let us examine and see what we have doneand then return to the Lord.
41. Let us lift up our hands and pray from our heartsto God in heaven:
42. “We have sinned and turned against you,and you have not forgiven us.
43. “You wrapped yourself in anger and chased us;you killed us without mercy.
44. You wrapped yourself in a cloud,and no prayer could get through.
45. You made us like scum and trashamong the other nations.
46. “All of our enemiesopen their mouths and speak against us.
47. We have been frightened and fearful,ruined and destroyed.”
48. Streams of tears flow from my eyes,because my people are destroyed.
49. My tears flow continually,without stopping,
50. until the Lord looks downand sees from heaven.
51. I am sad when I seewhat has happened to all the women of my city.
52. Those who are my enemies for no reasonhunted me like a bird.
53. They tried to kill me in a pit;they threw stones at me.
54. Water came up over my head,and I said, “I am going to die.”
55. I called out to you, Lord,from the bottom of the pit.
56. You heard me calling, “Do not close your earsand ignore my gasps and shouts.”
57. You came near when I called to you;you said, “Don’t be afraid.”
58. Lord, you have taken my caseand given me back my life.
59. Lord, you have seen how I have been wronged.Now judge my case for me.
60. You have seen how my enemies took revenge on meand made evil plans against me.
61. Lord, you have heard their insultsand all their evil plans against me.
62. The words and thoughts of my enemiesare against me all the time.
63. Look! In everything they dothey make fun of me with songs.
64. Pay them back, Lord,for what they have done.
65. Make them stubborn,and put your curse on them.
66. Chase them in anger, Lord,and destroy them from under your heavens.