A Prayer for Mercy
5 Remember, Lord, what has come upon us;
Look, and see our (A)disgrace!
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to (B)strangers,
Our (C)houses to foreigners.
3 We have become orphans, (D)without a father;
Our mothers are like widows.
4 We have to pay for our drinking (E)water,
Our wood comes to us at a price.
5 Our pursuers are at our necks;
We are worn out, we are given (F)no rest.
6 We have submitted to (G)Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.
7 Our (H)fathers sinned, and are gone;
It is we who have been burdened with the punishment for their wrongdoings.
8 (I)Slaves rule over us;
There is (J)no one to rescue us from their hand.
9 We get our bread at the (K)risk of our lives
Because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin has become as (L)hot as an oven,
Because of the ravages of hunger.
11 They violated the (M)women in Zion,
The virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Leaders were hung by their hands;
(N)Elders were not respected.
13 Young men (O)worked at the grinding mill,
And youths (P)staggered under loads of wood.
14 Elders are absent from the gate,
Young men from their (Q)music.
15 The joy of our hearts has (R)ended;
Our dancing has been turned into mourning.
16 The (S)crown has fallen from our head;
(T)Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Because of this our (U)heart is faint,
Because of these things our (V)eyes are dim;
18 Because of (W)Mount Zion which lies desolate,
(X)Jackals prowl in it.
19 (Y)You, Lord, rule forever;
Your (Z)throne is from generation to generation.
20 Why will You (AA)forget us forever?
Why do You abandon us for so long?
21 (AB)Restore us to You, Lord, so that we may be restored;
Renew (AC)our days as of old,
22 Unless (AD)You have utterly rejected us
And are exceedingly (AE)angry with us.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 5:4
- Lamentations 5:5
- Lamentations 5:6
- Lamentations 5:6
- Lamentations 5:9
- Lamentations 5:12
- Lamentations 5:13
- Lamentations 5:19
- Lamentations 5:20
Cross references
- Lamentations 5:1 : Ps 44:13-16
- Lamentations 5:2 : Is 1:7; Hos 8:7, 8
- Lamentations 5:2 : Zeph 1:13
- Lamentations 5:3 : Ex 22:24; Jer 15:8; 18:21
- Lamentations 5:4 : Is 3:1
- Lamentations 5:5 : Neh 9:36, 37
- Lamentations 5:6 : Hos 9:3; 12:1
- Lamentations 5:7 : Jer 14:20; 16:12
- Lamentations 5:8 : Neh 5:15
- Lamentations 5:8 : Ps 7:2; Zech 11:6
- Lamentations 5:9 : Jer 40:9-12
- Lamentations 5:10 : Job 30:30; Lam 4:8
- Lamentations 5:11 : Is 13:16; Zech 14:2
- Lamentations 5:12 : Is 47:6; Lam 4:16
- Lamentations 5:13 : Judg 16:21
- Lamentations 5:13 : Jer 7:18
- Lamentations 5:14 : Is 24:8; Jer 7:34
- Lamentations 5:15 : Jer 25:10; Amos 8:10
- Lamentations 5:16 : Job 19:9; Ps 89:39; Jer 13:18
- Lamentations 5:16 : Is 3:9-11
- Lamentations 5:17 : Is 1:5
- Lamentations 5:17 : Job 17:7; Lam 2:11
- Lamentations 5:18 : Mic 3:12
- Lamentations 5:18 : Neh 4:3
- Lamentations 5:19 : Ps 102:12, 25-27
- Lamentations 5:19 : Ps 45:6
- Lamentations 5:20 : Ps 13:1; 44:24
- Lamentations 5:21 : Ps 80:3; Jer 31:18
- Lamentations 5:21 : Is 60:20-22
- Lamentations 5:22 : Ps 60:1, 2; Jer 7:29
- Lamentations 5:22 : Is 64:9
