The Babylonian Exile

Even if He causes grief, He will show compassion according to His abundant loving devotion.

For He does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of men.

To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the land,

to deny a man justice before the Most High,

to subvert a man in his lawsuit— of these the Lord does not approve.

Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?

Do not both adversity and good come from the mouth of the Most High?

Why should any mortal man complain, in view of his sins?

Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD.

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

“We have sinned and rebelled; You have not forgiven.”

You have covered Yourself in anger and pursued us; You have killed without pity.

You have covered Yourself with a cloud that no prayer can pass through.

You have made us scum and refuse among the nations.

All our enemies open their mouths against us.

Panic and pitfall have come upon us— devastation and destruction.

Streams of tears flow from my eyes over the destruction of the daughter of my people.

My eyes overflow unceasingly, without relief,

until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees.

My eyes bring grief to my soul because of all the daughters of my city.

Without cause my enemies hunted me like a bird.

They dropped me alive into a pit and cast stones upon me.

The waters flowed over my head, and I thought I was going to die.

I called on Your name, O LORD, out of the depths of the Pit.

You heard my plea: “Do not ignore my cry for relief.”