Israel’s Affliction

¹ I am a man who has seen misery, under the rod of his wrath.

² He has driven me along, he brought darkness and not light.

³ Surely he has turned his hand against me, all day long.

⁴ He has worn out my flesh and skin, he has broken my bones.

⁵ ⌞He has besieged⌟¹ and engulfed me with bitterness and hardship.

1. Literally “he has built against”

⁶ In darkness he has let me dwell like the dead of long ago.

⁷ He has built a wall around me, I cannot go out; he has made my bronze fetters heavy.

⁸ Though I cry out for help, he shuts out my prayers.

⁹ He has blocked my ways with dressed stones; he has made my paths crooked.

¹⁰ To me he is like a bear lying in wait, a lion in hiding.

¹¹ He has forsaken my way and torn me to pieces; he has caused me desolation.

¹² He has bent his bow and set me as the target for the arrow.

¹³ He shot ⌞the arrows of his quiver⌟¹ into my kidneys.

1. Literally “the offspring of his arrow quiver”

¹⁴ I have become a laughingstock for all the people, their mocking song all day long.

¹⁵ He has filled me with bitterness, he has drenched me with wormwood.

¹⁶ He has broken my teeth on grit, he has trampled me down in ash.

¹⁷ My life has been removed from peace, I have forgotten goodness.

¹⁸ And I have said, “My glory is ruined, my expectation from Yahweh.”

¹⁹ Remember my misery and bitterness, the wormwood¹ and venom!

1. Or “the bitter substance”

²⁰ Surely my soul remembers and bows down within me.

²¹ This ⌞I have reminded myself⌟,¹ therefore I will hope.

1. Literally “I have brought back to my heart”

²² The loyal love of Yahweh does not cease; his compassions do not come to an end.

²³ They are new in the morning, great is your faithfulness.

²⁴ “Yahweh is my portion,” says my soul, “Thus I will hope on him.”

²⁵ Yahweh is good to those who wait on him, to the person that seeks him.

²⁶ It is good to wait in silence for the salvation of Yahweh.

²⁷ It is good for a man who carries the yoke of his childhood.

²⁸ Let him sit alone and be silent when he¹ has laid it on him.

1. Yahweh

²⁹ Let ⌞him put⌟¹ his mouth in the dust; perhaps there is hope.

1. Literally “him give”

³⁰ Let him give a cheek to his smiter, let him be filled with disgrace.

³¹ For the Lord will not reject forever.

³² For even though he causes grief he has compassion according to the greatness of his royal love.

³³ He does not ⌞afflict willingly⌟,¹ or grieve ⌞anyone⌟.²

1. Literally “afflict from the heart”
2. Literally “the sons of men”

³⁴ To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth;

³⁵ ⌞to deprive one of justice⌟¹ before the face of the Most High;

1. Literally “to turn aside the judgment of a man”

³⁶ to subvert a person in a legal dispute —the Lord has not found delight in these things.

³⁷ ⌞Who can speak⌟¹ and it will happen if the Lord has not commanded it?

1. Literally “Who is this that speaks”

³⁸ Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that disaster and good will come?

³⁹ Why should any living person complain about his sin?

⁴⁰ Let us test and examine our ways; let us return to Yahweh.

⁴¹ Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens.

⁴² We ourselves have transgressed and rebelled, you have not forgiven.

⁴³ You have covered yourself ⌞in anger⌟¹ and pursued us, you have slain and not shown mercy.

1. Literally “in the nose”

⁴⁴ You have covered yourself in a cloud ⌞so that prayer cannot pass through⌟.¹

1. Literally “from a passing prayer”

⁴⁵ You have made us scum and refuse in the midst of the nations.

⁴⁶ All our enemies have opened their mouth against us.

⁴⁷ Fear and a pit have come upon us, desolation and destruction.

⁴⁸ Channels of water run down my eyes because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.

⁴⁹ My eyes have poured down unceasingly without respite,

⁵⁰ until Yahweh looks down and sees from heaven.

⁵¹ My eyes inflict my soul because of all the daughters of my city.

⁵² My enemies hunt me without cause, like a bird.

⁵³ ⌞They have silenced me in a pit⌟,¹ they have thrown a stone at me.

1. Literally “they have put to silence my life in a pit”

⁵⁴ Water has flown over my head, I said, “I am cut off.”

⁵⁵ I have called your name, O Yahweh, from the depths of the pit.

⁵⁶ You have heard my cry, “Do not shut your ear to my cry for help, for my relief!”

⁵⁷ You came near on a day when I called you, you said, “Do not fear!”

⁵⁸ O Lord, you have pleaded for ⌞my cause⌟,¹ you have redeemed my life.

1. Literally “the legal disputes of my soul”

⁵⁹ You have seen my injustice, O Yahweh; judge my case.

⁶⁰ You have seen all their vengeance, all there plans against me.

⁶¹ You have heard their disgrace, O Yahweh, all their plans against me.

⁶² The lips and meditation of my assailants are against me all day long.

⁶³ Look at their sitting and their standing, I am their mocking song.

⁶⁴ Return to them what is deserved, O Yahweh, according to the work of their hands.

⁶⁵ Give them a stubborn heart; curse them!

⁶⁶ Pursue them ⌞in anger⌟¹ and destroy them from under the heavens of Yahweh.

1. Literally “in nose”