How deserted lies the city Once so full of people! How like a widow is she She has now become a slave Bitterly she weeps at night Tears are on her cheeks Among all her lovers There is no one to comfort her All her friends have betrayed her They have become her enemies All who pursue her have overtaken her In the midst of her distress All her gateways are desolate She is in bitter anguish Her foes have become her masters Her enemies are at ease The Lord has brought her grief Because of her many sins All who honored her despise her She herself groans and turns away Her fall was astounding, there was none to comfort her “Look, Lord, on my affliction for the enemy has triumphed” The enemy laid hands on all her treasures “Look, Lord, and consider, for I am despised” “From on high he sent fire, sent it down into my bones He spread a net for my feet and turned me back He made me desolate, faint all the day long My sins have been hung on my neck and the Lord has sapped my strength” “The Lord has rejected all the warriors in my midst He has summoned an army against me to crush my young men This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit” “My children are destitute Because the enemy has prevailed” “The Lord is righteous, yet I rebelled against his command Listen, all you peoples; look on my suffering My young men and young women have gone into exile I called to my allies but they betrayed me” “See, Lord, how distressed I am! I am in torment within” “In my heart I am disturbed for I have been most rebellious” “People have heard my groaning But there is no one to comfort me All my enemies have heard of my distress They rejoice at what you have done” “May you bring the day you have announced So they may become like me” “Let all their wickedness come before you Deal with them as you’ve dealt with me Because of all my sins” In his fierce anger the Lord has spurned both king and priest The Lord has rejected his altar and abandoned his sanctuary My eyes fail from weeping I am in torment within My heart is poured out on the ground Because my people are destroyed Because children and infants faint In the streets of the city They faint like the wounded As their lives ebb away in their mothers’ arms What can I say for you? With what can I compare you To what can I liken you That I may comfort you The visions of your prophets Were false and worthless They did not expose Your sin To ward off Your captivity The prophecies they gave you Were false and misleading All who pass your way clap their hands at you They scoff and shake their heads All your enemies open their mouths wide against you They scoff and gnash their teeth The Lord has done what he planned He has fulfilled his word Which he decreed long ago He has overthrown you without pity He has let the enemy gloat over you The hearts of the people Cry out to the Lord Let your tears flow like a river Day and night Give yourself no relief Your eyes no rest Arise, cry out in the night As the watches of the night begin Pour out your heart like water In the presence of the Lord Lift up your hands to him For the lives of your children “Look, Lord, and consider: Whom have you ever treated like this? Should priest and prophet be killed In the sanctuary of the Lord? Young and old lie together In the dust of the streets “In the day of the Lord’s anger No one escaped or survived Those I cared for and reared My enemy has destroyed” I am the man who has seen affliction By the rod of the Lord’s wrath He has driven me away and made me Walk in darkness rather than light He has made my skin And my flesh grow old And has broken My bones He has besieged me and surrounded me With bitterness and hardship He has made me dwell in darkness like those long dead He has walled me in so I cannot escape Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed For his compassions never fail They are new every morning I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion Therefore I will wait for him” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord Though he brings grief, he’ll show compassion So great is his unfailing love He does not willingly bring affliction Or grief to anyone Let’s examine our ways Let’s return to the Lord Let’s lift up our hearts and our hands To God in heaven You came near when I called you And you said, “Do not fear” You, Lord, took up my case You redeemed my life You, Lord, reign Forever Your throne endures From generation to generation Restore us to yourself, Lord That we may return Renew our days As of old