Lamentations 3:40-54

40Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.

41Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say:

42“We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven.

43“You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us; you have slain without pity.

44You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through.

45You have made us scum and refuse among the nations.

46“All our enemies have opened their mouths wide against us.

47We have suffered terror and pitfalls, ruin and destruction.”

48Streams of tears flow from my eyes because my people are destroyed.

49My eyes will flow unceasingly, without relief,

50until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees.

51What I see brings grief to my soul because of all the women of my city.

52Those who were my enemies without cause hunted me like a bird.

53They tried to end my life in a pit and threw stones at me;

54the waters closed over my head, and I thought I was about to perish.