¶ I am the man¹ that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath².

He hath led me, and brought³ me into darkness, but not into light.

⁴Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

My flesh⁵ and my skin hath he made old; he hath⁶ broken my bones.

He hath builded⁷ against me, and compassed me with gall⁸ and travail.

He hath set me in dark⁹ places, as they that be dead of old.

He hath hedged¹⁰ me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made¹¹ my chain heavy.

¹²Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made¹³ my paths crooked.

¶ He was unto¹⁴ me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret¹⁵ places.

He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled¹⁶ me in pieces: he hath made¹⁷ me desolate.

He hath bent¹⁸ his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

He hath caused the arrows¹⁹ of his quiver to enter into my reins.

²⁰I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.

He hath filled²¹ me with bitterness²², he hath made me drunken with wormwood.

He hath also broken²³ my teeth with gravel²⁴ stones, he hath²⁵ covered me with ashes²⁶.

And thou²⁷ hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat²⁸ prosperity²⁹.

³⁰And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:

Remembering³¹ mine affliction and my misery, the³² wormwood and the gall.

¶ My soul hath³³ them still in remembrance, and is humbled³⁴ in me.

¶ This I recall to my mind³⁵, therefore³⁶ have I hope.

It is of³⁷ the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because³⁸ his compassions fail not.

They are new³⁹ every morning: great⁴⁰ is thy faithfulness.

The LORD is my portion⁴¹, saith my soul; therefore⁴² will I hope in him.

The LORD is good⁴³ unto them that wait for him, to⁴⁴ the soul that seeketh him.

It is good⁴⁵ that a man should both hope⁴⁶ and quietly⁴⁷ wait for the salvation of the LORD.

It is good for a man that he bear⁴⁸ the yoke in his youth.

⁴⁹He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.

He putteth⁵⁰ his mouth in the dust; if⁵¹ so be there may be hope.

¶ He giveth his⁵² cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled⁵³ full with reproach.

⁵⁴For the Lord will not cast off for ever:

⁵⁵But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

For he doth not afflict⁵⁶ willingly⁵⁷ nor grieve the children of men.

To crush⁵⁸ under his feet all⁵⁹ the prisoners of the earth,

To turn⁶⁰ aside the right of a man before the face of the most High⁶¹,

To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord⁶² approveth⁶³ not.

¶ Who is he that saith⁶⁴, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

⁶⁵Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

Wherefore doth⁶⁶ a living man complain⁶⁷, a man for the punishment of his sins?

¶ Let us search⁶⁸ and try our ways, and turn⁶⁹ again to the LORD.

Let us lift⁷⁰ up our heart with⁷¹ our hands unto God in the heavens.

¶ We have transgressed⁷² and have rebelled: thou⁷³ hast not pardoned.

Thou hast covered⁷⁴ with anger, and persecuted⁷⁵ us: thou hast slain⁷⁶, thou hast not pitied.

Thou hast covered⁷⁷ thyself with a cloud, that⁷⁸ our prayer should not pass through.

Thou hast made us as⁷⁹ the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.

All our enemies have⁸⁰ opened their mouths against us.

Fear⁸¹ and a snare is come upon us, desolation⁸² and destruction.

⁸³Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

Mine eye trickleth down, and⁸⁴ ceaseth not, without any intermission,

¶⁸⁵Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.

Mine eye⁸⁶ affecteth mine heart⁸⁷ because of all the daughters of my city.

Mine enemies chased⁸⁸ me sore, like a bird, without⁸⁹ cause.

They have cut⁹⁰ off my life in the dungeon, and⁹¹ cast a stone upon me.

Waters⁹² flowed over mine head; then I said⁹³, I am cut off.

¶⁹⁴I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.

Thou hast⁹⁵ heard my voice: hide⁹⁶ not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.

Thou drewest⁹⁷ near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst⁹⁸, Fear not.

O Lord, thou hast pleaded⁹⁹ the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed¹⁰⁰ my life.

O LORD, thou hast¹⁰¹ seen my wrong: judge¹⁰² thou my cause.

¶¹⁰³Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.

¹⁰⁴Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;

The lips¹⁰⁵ of those that rose up against me, and¹⁰⁶ their device against me all the day.

Behold their sitting¹⁰⁷ down, and their rising up; I am¹⁰⁸ their musick.

¹⁰⁹Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.

Give them sorrow¹¹⁰ of heart, thy¹¹¹ curse unto them.

Persecute¹¹² and destroy them in anger from under¹¹³ the heavens¹¹⁴ of the LORD.