A Prayer for Mercy
5 Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us;
Look, and see our (A)reproach!
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to (B)strangers,
Our (C)houses to aliens.
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, there is (F)no rest for us.
6 We have submitted to (G)Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.
7 Our (H)fathers sinned, and are no more;
It is we who have borne their iniquities.
8 (I)Slaves rule over us;
There is (J)no one to deliver 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 burning heat of famine.
11 They ravished the (M)women in Zion,
The virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes were hung by their hands;
(N)Elders were not respected.
13 Young men (O)worked at the grinding mill,
And youths (P)stumbled under loads of wood.
14 Elders are gone from the gate,
Young men from their (Q)music.
15 The joy of our hearts has (R)ceased;
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)Foxes prowl in it.
19 (Y)You, O Lord, rule forever;
Your (Z)throne is from generation to generation.
20 Why do You (AA)forget us forever?
Why do You forsake us so long?
21 (AB)Restore us to You, O Lord, 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 5:9
- Lamentations 5:10
- Lamentations 5:12
- Lamentations 5:13
- Lamentations 5:14
- 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
