1 I am the man who by his rod
Of wrath see dismal scenes of woes;
2 He hath me into darkness brought,
And not a gleam of light He shows.
3 He surely is against me turn'd
His hand all day He turns on me.
4 My flesh and skin He old hath made
My bones to pieces broke hath He.
5 He built around me: and with gall
And travel me encompassed:
6 He hath me set in places dark,
As those who long ago were dead.
7 So hedg'd me in, I can't get out;
Makes me his heavy chain to bear;
8 And when I earnest cry aloud,
He grievously shuts out my pray'r.
9 He with hewn stones enclos'd my path,
And intricate hath made my way:
10 He as a bear lays wait for me,
A lion in a hidden place.
11 He turned hath my ways aside;
He hath to pieces pulled me:
Of all my comforts hath bereav'd
And made me desolate to be.
12 He bent his bow; and me a mark
Did for his sharp'ned arrows place;
13 The arrows of his quiver caus'd
Into my tender reins to pass.
14 To all my people I'm a scoff,
And all the day their jeering song;
15 He made me full of bitterness,
And even drunk with wormwood strong.
16 Yea He my teeth with gravel break,
And all in ashes rolled me.
17 Thou put'st my soul far off from peace,
And I forgot prosperity.
18 Yea I did say, my strength and hope
Are wholly perish'd from the LORD.
19 My grief and pain, wormwood and gall,
I in my troubled mind record.
20 My soul doth still remember them,
And in me low abas'd, doth lie:
21 Yet to my mind I this recall,
And thence a glimpse of hope have I;
22 It's of the mercies of the LORD,
We are not quite consum'd away;
Because the pity of his heart
Nor does, nor ever will decay.
23 They ev'ry morning are renew'd:
Thy changeless faithfulness is great,
24 The LORD's my portions, saith my soul;
And thence my hope I'll on Him set.
25 To them who wait for Him, the soul
Who seeks Him, gracious is the LORD;
26 'Tis best in quietness to wait
Till He salvation will afford.
27 Good for a man it is in youth
that he should bear the humbling yoke;
28 He sits alone, and silence keeps,
Because he bears thy holy stroke.
29 He puts his mouth into the dust,
If so there any hope may be:
30 His cheek to him who smites he gives,
Tho' filled with reproach is he.
31 Ever the Lord will not cast off;
But tho' He causes pungent grief;
32 Yet in his mercies great He will
Compassion have, and give relief.
33 For He's not willing to afflict
Or grieve the sons of men 'tis known;
34 To crush the pris'ners of the earth,
Or under feet to tread them down.
35 To turn aside the right of man
Before the face of THE MOST HIGH;
36 Or to subvert his righteous case;
The Lord abhors eternally.
37 Who's he that saith, and them performs,
Unless it be the Lord's good will.
38 Out of the mouth of THE MOST HIGH,
Proceed all good and penal ill.
29 why for the punishment of sins
Doth any living man complain?
40 O let us search and try our ways,
And to the LORD now turn again.
41 O let us lift our hearts and hands
Up to the mighty God in heav'n:
42 We all have trespass'd and rebell'd,
Nor hast Thou yet our sins forgiv'n.
43 Thy wrath us covers and pursues;
Thou slay'st, and dost not pity show.
44 Thou so with clouds dost hide thy self,
That our loud cries cannot pass through.
45 Amidst the people hast us made
Th' off-scouring, refuse, and jeer.
46 And the wide mouths of all our foes,
Against and round us op'ned are.
47 Fear and a snare are come on us;
And all in desolation lies:
48 For daughters of my people's waste
Rivers of tears run down mine eyes.
49 Mine eyes with tears flow down apace;
And will no intermissions know,
50 Until the LORD from heav'n look down,
And see us in our dismal woe.
51 Mine eye affects my soul with grief,
To see my city's daughters case;
52 My foes pursue me unprovok'd
The harmless birds as fowlers chase.
53 My life they in the dungeon sunk,
And on me heavy stones they cast.
54 The waters flowing o'er my head,
I said, "I'm gone, all hope is past!"
55 O LORD, I call'd upon thy name,
In the deep dungeon, like to die;
56 Thou heardst my voice, hide not thine ear,
From my short panting and my cry
57 Then Thou draw'st near, and saidst, "FEAR NOT!"
Ev'n in the day I call'd on Thee:
48 Lord, my soul's causes Thou did plead,
And my expiring life set free.
59 JEHOVAH judge the cause for me,
As Thou my wrongs has always seen.
60 As their revenge and all their plots
Before thine eyes have ever been.
61 All their reproach, Thou LORD, hast heard;
Thou seest the snares they for me lay,
62 Their lips who up against me rise,
And all their plottings all the day.
63 See, when they sit, and when they rise,
The musick of their songs am I:
64 But LORD, as are their handy works
A just reward Thou wilt apply.
65 Sorrow of heart Thou wilt them give,
Thy grievous curse wilt make them bear;
66 In wrath them chace, and from beneath
JEHOVAH's heav'ns waste ev'ry where.