The Prophet’s Afflictions

1I am the man that thorowe the rodde of his wrath haue experience of miserie.

2He droue me foorth and led me, yea into darknesse, but not into light.

3Against me is he turned, he turneth his hande dayly against me.

4My flesh and my skinne hath he made olde, and my bones hath he bruised.

5He hath buylded rounde about me, and closed me in with gall and trauaile.

6He hath set me in darknesse, as they that be dead for euer.

7He hath so hedged me in, that I can not get out, and hath layde heauie linkes vpon me.

8Though I crye and call pitiously, yet heareth he not my prayer.

9He hath stopped vp my wayes with foure squared stones, and made my pathes crooked.

10He layeth wayte for me lyke a beare, and as a lion in a hole.

11He hath marred my wayes, and broken me in peeces, he hath layde me waste altogether.

12He hath bent his bowe, and made me as it were a marke to shoote at.

13The arrowes of his quiuer hath he shot, euen into my reynes.

14I am laughed to scorne of all my people, they make songues vpon me all the day long.

15He hath filled me with bitternesse, and geuen me wormewood to drinke.

16He hath smitten my teeth in peeces with stones, and roulled me in the dust.

17He hath put my soule out of rest, I forget all good thinges.

18I thought in my selfe, I am vndone, there is no hope for me in the Lorde.

The Prophet’s Hope

19O remember yet my miserie and my trouble, the wormewood and the gall.

20Yea thou shalt remember them, for my soule melteth away in me.

21Whyle I consider these thinges in my heart, I get a hope agayne.

22namely it is of the Lordes mercies that we are not vtterly consumed, for truely his pitifull compassion hath not ceassed.

23Newe mercyes shall the Lord shewe vpon thee early in the day springing, (O Lorde) great is thy faythfulnesse.

24The Lorde is my portion saith my soule therefore wyll I hope in hym.

25O howe good is the Lord vnto them that put their trust in hym, and to the soule that seeketh after hym.

26The good man with stilnesse and pacience, taryeth for the health of the Lorde.

27O howe good is it for a man to take the yoke vpon him from his youth vp?

28He sitteth alone, he holdeth hym styll, because he hath taken the Lordes yoke vpon hym.

29He layeth his face vpon the earth, if there happen to be any hope.

30He offreth his cheeke to the smyter, he wyll be content with reproffes:

31For the Lord wil not forsake for euer.

32But though he punishe, yet according to the multitude of his mercies he receaueth to grace agayne.

33For he doth not plague willingly, and afflict the chyldren of men,

34To treade all the prysoners of the earth vnder his feete,

35To moue the iudgement of man before the most highest,

36To condemne a man in his cause: the Lord hath not pleasure in such thinges.

God’s Justice

37What is he then that saith, there should some thing be done without the Lordes commaundement?

38Out of the mouth of the most highest goeth not euyll and good?

39Wherefore then murmureth the liuing man? let hym murmure at his owne sinne.

40Let vs looke well vpon our wayes, and remember our selues, and turne agayne to the Lorde.

41Let vs lift our heartes with our handes vnto the Lorde that is in heauen.

42We haue ben dissemblers and haue offended, wylt thou therefore not be intreated?

43Thou hast couered vs in thy wrath, and persecuted vs: thou hast slayne vs without any fauour.

44Thou hast hid thy selfe in a cloude, that our prayer should not go through.

45Thou hast made vs outcastes, and to be despised among the people.

46All our enemies gape vpon vs.

47Feare and pit is come vpon vs, yea deceipt and destruction.

48Whole riuers of water gushe out of mine eyes for the hurt of my people:

49Myne eyes runne and cannot ceasse, for there is no rest:

50O Lorde, when wylt thou looke downe from heauen and consider?

51Mine eyes breaketh my heart, because of all the daughters of my citie.

52Mine enemies hunted me out sharply like a byrde, yea & that without a cause.

53They haue put downe my life into a pit, and they haue cast stones vpon me.

54They haue powred water vpon my head: then thought I, nowe am I vndone.

55I called vpon thy name O Lorde out of the deepe pit.

56Thou hast heard my voyce, and hast not turned away thyne eares from my sighing and crying.

57Thou hast inclyned thy selfe vnto me when I called vpon thee: and hast said, feare not.

58Thou (O Lorde) hast mayntayned the cause of my soule, and hast redeemed my lyfe.

59O Lorde, thou hast seene my wrong, take thou my cause vpon thee.

60Thou hast well considered howe they go about to do me harme, and that all their counsels are against me.

61Thou hast hearde their despitefull wordes O Lorde, yea and all the imaginations against me:

62The lippes of mine enemies, and their deuises that they take against me al the day long.

63Thou seest also their sitting downe and their rising vp, they make their songes of nothing but of me.

64Rewarde them, O Lorde, according to the workes of their handes.

65Geue them an obstinate heart, euen thy curse.

66Persecute them O Lorde with thyne indignation, and roote them out from vnder the heauen.