Aleph Lamentations 3:1–3 1 Lamentations 3:1. I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of God’s wrath.2 Lamentations 3:2. He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness instead of light.3 Lamentations 3:3. Indeed, He keeps turning His hand against me all day long.
Beth Lamentations 3:4–6 4 Lamentations 3:4. He has worn away my flesh and skin; He has shattered my bones.5 Lamentations 3:5. He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.6 Lamentations 3:6. He has made me dwell in darkness like those dead for ages.
Gimel Lamentations 3:7–9 7 Lamentations 3:7. He has walled me in so I cannot escape; He has weighed me down with chains.8 Lamentations 3:8. Even when I cry out and plead for help, He shuts out my prayer.9 Lamentations 3:9. He has barred my ways with cut stones; He has made my paths crooked.
Daleth Lamentations 3:10–12 10 Lamentations 3:10. He is a bear lying in wait, a lion hiding in ambush.11 Lamentations 3:11. He forced me off my path and tore me to pieces; He left me without help.12 Lamentations 3:12. He bent His bow and set me as the target for His arrow.
He Lamentations 3:13–15 13 Lamentations 3:13. He pierced my kidneys with His arrows.14 Lamentations 3:14. I am a laughingstock to all my people; they mock me in song all day long.15 Lamentations 3:15. He has filled me with bitterness; He has intoxicated me with wormwood.
Waw Lamentations 3:16–18 16 Lamentations 3:16. He has ground my teeth with gravel and trampled me in the dust.17 Lamentations 3:17. My soul has been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is.18 Lamentations 3:18. So I say, “My strength has perished, along with my hope from the LORD.”
Zayin Lamentations 3:19–21 19 Lamentations 3:19. Remember my affliction and wandering, the wormwood and the gall.20 Lamentations 3:20. Surely my soul remembers and is humbled within me.21 Lamentations 3:21. Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope:
Cheth Lamentations 3:22–24 22 Lamentations 3:22. Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail.23 Lamentations 3:23. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!24 Lamentations 3:24. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
Teth Lamentations 3:25–27 25 Lamentations 3:25. The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.26 Lamentations 3:26. It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.27 Lamentations 3:27. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is still young.
Yod Lamentations 3:28–30 28 Lamentations 3:28. Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it upon him.29 Lamentations 3:29. Let him bury his face in the dust—perhaps there is still hope.30 Lamentations 3:30. Let him offer his cheek to the one who would strike him; let him be filled with reproach.
Kaph Lamentations 3:31–33 31 Lamentations 3:31. For the Lord will not cast us off forever.32 Lamentations 3:32. Even if He causes grief, He will show compassion according to His abundant loving devotion.33 Lamentations 3:33. For He does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of men.
Lamed Lamentations 3:34–36 34 Lamentations 3:34. To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the land,35 Lamentations 3:35. to deny a man justice before the Most High,36 Lamentations 3:36. to subvert a man in his lawsuit—of these the Lord does not approve.
Mem Lamentations 3:37–39 37 Lamentations 3:37. Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?38 Lamentations 3:38. Do not both adversity and good come from the mouth of the Most High?39 Lamentations 3:39. Why should any mortal man complain, in view of his sins?
Nun Lamentations 3:40–42 40 Lamentations 3:40. Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD.41 Lamentations 3:41. Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven:42 Lamentations 3:42. “We have sinned and rebelled; You have not forgiven.”
Samek Lamentations 3:43–45 43 Lamentations 3:43. You have covered Yourself in anger and pursued us; You have killed without pity.44 Lamentations 3:44. You have covered Yourself with a cloud that no prayer can pass through.45 Lamentations 3:45. You have made us scum and refuse among the nations.
Pe Lamentations 3:46–48 46 Lamentations 3:46. All our enemies open their mouths against us.47 Lamentations 3:47. Panic and pitfall have come upon us—devastation and destruction.48 Lamentations 3:48. Streams of tears flow from my eyes over the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Ayin Lamentations 3:49–51 49 Lamentations 3:49. My eyes overflow unceasingly, without relief,50 Lamentations 3:50. until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees.51 Lamentations 3:51. My eyes bring grief to my soul because of all the daughters of my city.
Tsade Lamentations 3:52–54 52 Lamentations 3:52. Without cause my enemies hunted me like a bird.53 Lamentations 3:53. They dropped me alive into a pit and cast stones upon me.54 Lamentations 3:54. The waters flowed over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
Qoph Lamentations 3:55–57 55 Lamentations 3:55. I called on Your name, O LORD, out of the depths of the Pit.56 Lamentations 3:56. You heard my plea: “Do not ignore my cry for relief.”57 Lamentations 3:57. You drew near when I called on You; You said, “Do not be afraid.”
Resh Lamentations 3:58–60 58 Lamentations 3:58. You defend my cause, O Lord; You redeem my life.59 Lamentations 3:59. You have seen, O LORD, the wrong done to me; vindicate my cause!60 Lamentations 3:60. You have seen all their malice, all their plots against me.
Shin Lamentations 3:61–63 61 Lamentations 3:61. O LORD, You have heard their insults, all their plots against me—62 Lamentations 3:62. the slander and murmuring of my assailants against me all day long.63 Lamentations 3:63. When they sit and when they rise, see how they mock me in song.
Taw Lamentations 3:64 64 Lamentations 3:64. You will pay them back what they deserve, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.65 Lamentations 3:65. Put a veil of anguish over their hearts; may Your curse be upon them!66 Lamentations 3:66. You will pursue them in anger and exterminate them from under Your heavens, O LORD.
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Pray with this chapter A short prayer for the reader. This is not Scripture and is kept distinct from the Berean text.
Father, as we read Lamentations 3 (Aleph), give us a quiet heart, a willing mind, and the grace to live what you show us. Amen.
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