1 I am the man who has been suffering because of the power of God’s anger.

2 H e has led me and brought me into darkness and not into light.

3 F or sure He has turned His hand against me again and again all day long.

4 H e has made my flesh and my skin waste away. He has broken my bones.

5 H e has shut me in with trouble and suffering.

6 H e has made me live in dark places, like those who have been dead a long time.

7 H e has put a wall around me so that I cannot go out. He has put heavy chains on me.

8 E ven when I cry and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.

9 H e has stopped me with blocks of stone. He has made my paths no longer straight.

10 H e is like a bear lying in wait, like a lion hiding in secret places.

11 H e has turned me from the path and torn me to pieces. He has destroyed me.

12 H e used His bow, and set me as a mark for His arrow.

13 H e has taken out His arrows and sent them into my heart.

14 A ll my people laugh at me. They sing songs that make fun of me all day long.

15 H e has filled me with bitter feelings. He has made me drunk with wormwood.

16 H e has broken my teeth with rocks, and has covered me with dust.

17 P eace has left my soul. I have forgotten what it is like to be happy.

18 S o I say, “My strength is gone, and so has my hope from the Lord.”

19 R emember my trouble and my traveling from place to place, the wormwood and bitter feelings.

20 I remember it always, and my soul bows down within me.

21 B ut this I remember, and so I have hope.

22 I t is because of the Lord’s loving-kindness that we are not destroyed for His loving-pity never ends.

23 I t is new every morning. He is so very faithful.

24 “ The Lord is my share.” says my soul, “so I have hope in Him.”

25 T he Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the one who looks for Him.

26 I t is good that one should be quiet and wait for the saving power of the Lord.

27 I t is good for a man to carry the load while he is young.

28 L et him sit alone and be quiet when God has laid the load on him.

29 L et him put his mouth in the dust. There may be hope yet.

30 L et him give his face to the one who hits him, and be filled with shame.

31 F or the Lord will not turn away from a man forever.

32 F or if He causes sorrow, He will have loving-pity because of His great loving-kindness.

33 H e does not want to cause trouble or sorrow for the children of men.

34 H e is not pleased when all those on earth who are in prison are crushed under foot.

35 T he Most High is not pleased when the rights are kept away from a man who is before Him,

36 a nd when wrong is done to him in his cause. The Lord is not pleased with these things.

37 W ho has said that something would happen and then it did happen, unless the Lord has said that it should be?

38 I s it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and bad come?

39 W hy should any living man complain about the punishment of his sins?

40 L et us test and look over our ways, and return to the Lord.

41 L et us lift up our heart and hands to God in heaven, saying,

42 “ We have sinned and would not obey You, and You have not forgiven us.

43 Y ou have covered Yourself with anger and have followed us, killing without pity.

44 Y ou have covered Yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through.

45 Y ou have made us a waste and something that is not wanted among the nations.

46 A ll those who hate us have spoken against us.

47 F ear and a trap have come upon us. We are laid waste and destroyed.

48 M y eyes flow with rivers of tears because my people are destroyed.

49 T ears flow from my eyes all the time without stopping,

50 u ntil the Lord looks down from heaven and sees.

51 M y eyes bring me suffering because of what is happening to all the women of my city.

52 I have been hunted like a bird by those who hate me for no reason.

53 T hey threw me alive into the deep hole and have put a stone on me.

54 W ater flowed over my head, and I said, “I am cut off!”

55 I called on Your name, O Lord, out of the deep hole.

56 Y ou have heard my voice. Do not close Your ears to my cry for help.

57 Y ou came near when I called You, and You said, “Do not be afraid!”

58 Y ou have helped me in my cause, O Lord. You have saved my life.

59 O Lord, You have seen the wrong done to me. Judge in my favor.

60 Y ou have seen how much they hate me and plan against me.

61 O Lord, You have heard how they put me to shame and how they work against me.

62 T he lips and thoughts of those who hurt me are against me all day long.

63 W atch their sitting down and standing up. I am their song as they make fun of me.

64 O Lord, You will punish them for what they have done.

65 Y ou will give them hard hearts, and curse them.

66 G o after them in anger and destroy them from under Your heavens, O Lord.