Sorrow for Israel’s Sins
1 Woe is me!
For I am like those who gather summer fruits,
# Like those whoglean vintage grapes;
Thereisnocluster to eat
# Of the first-ripe fruitwhichmy soul desires.
2 Thefaithfulmanhas perished from the earth,
Andthereisno one upright among men.
They all lie in wait for blood;
# Every man hunts his brother with a net.
3 That they may successfully do evil with both hands—
The prince asksforgifts,
# The judgeseeksabribe,
And the greatmanutters his evil desire;
So they scheme together.
4 The best of themislike a brier;
The most uprightissharperthan a thorn hedge;
The day of your watchman and your punishment comes;
Now shall be their perplexity.
5 Do not trust in a friend;
Do not put your confidence in a companion;
Guard the doors of your mouth
# From her who lies in yourbosom.
6 Forson dishonors father,
Daughter rises against her mother,
Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
A man’s enemiesarethe men of his own household.
7 Therefore I will look to theLord;
# I willwait for the God of my salvation;
My God will hear me.
Israel’s Confession and Comfort
8 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy;
# When I fall, I will arise;
When I sit in darkness,
TheLordwillbea light to me.
9 I will bear the indignation of theLord,
Because I have sinned against Him,
# Until He pleads mycase
And executes justice for me.
He will bring me forth to the light;
I will see His righteousness.
10 Thenshewhoismy enemy will see,
# Andshame will cover her who said to me,
# “Where is theLordyour God?”
My eyes will see her;
Now she will be trampled down
Like mud in the streets.
11 Inthe day when yourwalls are to be built,
Inthat day the decree shall go far and wide.
12 Inthat daythey shall come to you
From Assyria and the fortified cities,
From the fortress to the River,
From sea to sea,
And mountaintomountain.
13 Yet the land shall be desolate
Because of those who dwell in it,
# Andfor the fruit of their deeds.
God Will Forgive Israel
14 Shepherd Your people with Your staff,
The flock of Your heritage,
# Who dwell solitarilyinawoodland,
In the midst of Carmel;
Let them feedinBashan and Gilead,
As in days of old.
15 “Asin the days when you came out of the land of Egypt,
# I will show themwonders.”
16 The nationsshall see and be ashamed of all their might;
# They shall puttheirhand overtheirmouth;
Their ears shall be deaf.
17 They shall lick thedust like a serpent;
# They shall crawl from their holes like snakes of the earth.
# They shall be afraid of theLordour God,
And shall fear because of You.
18 Whoisa God like You,
# Pardoning iniquity
# And passing over the transgression ofthe remnant of His heritage?
# He does not retain His anger forever,
# Because He delightsinmercy.
19 He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities.
You will cast all our sins
Into the depths of the sea.
20 You will give truth to Jacob
Andmercy to Abraham,
# Which You have sworn to our fathers
From days of old.