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Lamentations 3 (CEV)

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⁵³ Then they tried to kill me by tossing me into a pit and throwing stones at me. ⁵⁴ Water covered my head-- I thought I was gone. ⁵⁵ From the bottom of the pit, I prayed to you, LORD. ⁵⁶ I begged you to listen. "Help!" I shouted. "Save me!" You answered my prayer ¹ I have suffered much because God was angry. ² He chased me into a dark place, where no light could enter. ³ I am the only one he punishes over and over again, without ever stopping. ⁴ God caused my skin and flesh to waste away, and he crushed my bones. ⁵ He attacked and surrounded me with hardships and trouble; ⁶ he forced me to sit in the dark like someone long dead. ⁷ God built a fence around me that I cannot climb over, and he chained me down. ⁸ Even when I shouted and prayed for help, he refused to listen. ⁹ God put big rocks in my way and made me follow a crooked path. ¹⁰ God was like a bear or a lion waiting in ambush for me; ¹¹ he dragged me from the road, then tore me to shreds. ¹² God took careful aim and shot his arrows ¹³ straight through my heart. ¹⁴ I am a joke to everyone-- no one ever stops making fun of me. ¹⁵ God has turned my life sour. ¹⁶ He made me eat gravel and rubbed me in the dirt. ¹⁷ I cannot find peace or remember happiness. ¹⁸ I tell myself, "I am finished! I can't count on the LORD to do anything for me." ¹⁹ Just thinking of my troubles and my lonely wandering makes me miserable. ²⁰ That's all I ever think about, and I am depressed. ²¹ Then I remember something that fills me with hope. ²² The LORD's kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. ²³ The LORD can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. ²⁴ Deep in my heart I say, "The LORD is all I need; I can depend on him!" ²⁵ The LORD is kind to everyone who trusts and obeys him. ²⁶ It is good to wait patiently for the LORD to save us. ²⁷ When we are young, it is good to struggle hard ²⁸ and to sit silently alone, if this is what the LORD intends. ²⁹ Being rubbed in the dirt can teach us a lesson; ³⁰ we can also learn from insults and hard knocks. ³¹ The Lord won't always reject us! ³² He causes a lot of suffering, but he also has pity because of his great love. ³³ The Lord doesn't enjoy sending grief or pain. ³⁴ Don't trample prisoners under your feet ³⁵ or cheat anyone out of what is rightfully theirs. God Most High sees everything, ³⁶ and he knows when you refuse to give someone a fair trial. ³⁷ No one can do anything without the Lord's approval. ³⁸ Good and bad each happen at the command of God Most High. ³⁹ We're still alive! We shouldn't complain when we are being punished for our sins. ⁴⁰ Instead, we should think about the way we are living, and turn back to the LORD. ⁴¹ When we lift our hands in prayer to God in heaven, we should offer him our hearts and say, ⁴² "We've sinned! We've rebelled against you, and you haven't forgiven us! ⁴³ Anger is written all over you, as you pursue and slaughter us without showing pity. ⁴⁴ You are behind a wall of clouds that blocks out our prayers. ⁴⁵ You allowed nations to treat us like garbage; ⁴⁶ our enemies curse us. ⁴⁷ We are terrified and trapped, caught and crushed." ⁴⁸ My people are destroyed! Tears flood my eyes, ⁴⁹ and they won't stop ⁵⁰ until the LORD looks down from heaven and helps. ⁵¹ I am horrified when I see what enemies have done to the young women of our city. ⁵² No one had reason to hate me, but I was hunted down like a bird. ⁵⁷ and came when I was in need. You told me, "Don't worry!" ⁵⁸ You rescued me and saved my life. ⁵⁹ You saw them abuse me, LORD, so make things right. ⁶⁰ You know every plot they have made against me. ⁶¹ Yes, you know their insults and their evil plans. ⁶² All day long they attack with words and whispers. ⁶³ No matter what they are doing, they keep on mocking me. ⁶⁴ Pay them back for everything they have done, LORD! ⁶⁵ Put your curse on them and make them suffer. ⁶⁶ Get angry and go after them until not a trace is left under the heavens.