Lamentations 4-5; Psalms 30

Lamentations 4

God’s Anger Satisfied

4How the gold has lost its luster! Even the finest gold has become dull. The sacred gemstones lie scattered in the streets!H2091H6004H2896H3800H8132H68H6944H8210H7218H23512See how the precious children of Jerusalem

, worth their weight in fine gold, are now treated like pots of clay made by a common potter.H3368H1121H6726H5537H6337H2803H2789H5035H4639H3027H33353Even the jackals feed their young, but not my people Israel. They ignore their children’s cries, like ostriches in the desert.H8577H2502H7699H3243H1482H1323H5971H393H3283H40574The parched tongues of their little ones stick to the roofs of their mouths in thirst. The children cry for bread, but no one has any to give them.H3956H3243H1692H2441H6772H5768H7592H3899H65665The people who once ate the richest foods now beg in the streets for anything they can get. Those who once wore the finest clothes now search the garbage dumps for food.H398H4574H8074H2351H539H8438H2263H8306The guilt

of my people is greater than that of Sodom, where utter disaster struck in a moment and no hand offered help.H5771H1323H5971H1431H2403H5467H2015H7281H3027H23427Our princes once glowed with health—brighter than snow, whiter than milk. Their faces were as ruddy as rubies, their appearance like fine jewels

.H5139H2141H7950H6705H2461H119H6106H6443H1508H56018But now their faces are blacker than soot. No one recognizes them in the streets. Their skin sticks to their bones; it is as dry and hard as wood.H8389H2821H7815H5234H2351H5785H6821H6106H3001H60869Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger. Starving, they waste away for lack of food from the fields.H2491H2719H2896H2491H7458H1992H2100H1856H8570H770410Tenderhearted women have cooked their own children. They have eaten them to survive the siege.H3027H7362H802H1310H3206H1262H7667H1323H597111But now the anger of the Lord is satisfied. His fierce anger has been poured out. He started a fire in Jerusalem

that burned the city to its foundations.H3068H3615H2534H8210H2740H639H3341H784H6726H398H324712Not a king in all the earth—no one in all the world—would have believed that an enemy could march through the gates of Jerusalem.H4428H776H3427H8398H539H6862H341H935H8179H338913Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the sins of her priests, who defiled the city by shedding innocent blood.H2403H5030H5771H3548H8210H1818H6662H713014They wandered blindly through the streets, so defiled by blood that no one dared touch them.H5128H5787H2351H1351H1818H3201H3808H5060H383015“Get away!” the people shouted at them. “You’re defiled! Don’t touch us!” So they fled to distant lands and wandered among foreign nations, but none would let them stay.H7121H5493H2931H5493H5493H5060H5132H5128H559H1471H3254H148116The Lord himself has scattered them, and he no longer helps them. People show no respect for the priests and no longer honor the leaders.H6440H3068H2505H3254H5027H5375H6440H3548H2603H220517We looked in vain for our allies to come and save us, but we were looking to nations that could not help us.H5869H3615H1892H5833H6836H6822H1471H346718We couldn’t go into the streets without danger to our lives. Our end was near; our days were numbered. We were doomed!H6679H6806H3212H7339H7093H7126H3117H4390H7093H93519Our enemies were swifter than eagles in flight. If we fled to the mountains, they found us. If we hid in the wilderness, they were waiting for us there.H7291H7031H5404H8064H1814H2022H693H405720Our king—the Lord’s anointed, the very life of our nation—was caught in their snares. We had thought that his shadow would protect us against any nation on earth!H7307H639H4899H3068H3920H7825H559H6738H2421H147121Are you rejoicing in the land of Uz, O people of Edom? But you, too, must drink from the cup of the Lord’s anger. You, too, will be stripped naked in your drunkenness.H7797H8055H1323H123H3427H776H5780H3563H5674H7937H616822O beautiful Jerusalem

, your punishment will end; you will soon return from exile. But Edom, your punishment is just beginning; soon your many sins will be exposed.H5771H8552H1323H6726H3254H1540H6485H5771H1323H123H1540H2403

Lamentations 5

Prayer for Restoration

5Lord, remember what has happened to us. See how we have been disgraced!H2142H3068H5027H7200H27812Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners.H5159H2015H2114H1004H52373We are orphaned and fatherless. Our mothers are widowed.H3490H369H1H517H4904We have to pay for water to drink, and even firewood is expensive.H8354H4325H3701H6086H935H42425Those who pursue us are at our heels; we are exhausted but are given no rest.H6677H7291H3021H51176We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough food to survive.H5414H3027H4714H804H7646H38997Our ancestors sinned, but they have died—and we are suffering the punishment they deserved!H1H2398H369H5445H57718Slaves have now become our masters; there is no one left to rescue us.H5650H4910H6561H30279We hunt for food at the risk of our lives, for violence rules the countryside.H935H3899H5315H6440H2719H405710The famine has blackened our skin as though baked in an oven.H5785H3648H8574H6440H2152H745811Our enemies rape the women in Jerusalem

and the young girls in all the towns of Judah.H6031H802H6726H1330H5892H306312Our princes are being hanged by their thumbs, and our elders are treated with contempt.H8269H8518H3027H6440H2205H192113Young men are led away to work at millstones, and boys stagger under heavy loads of wood.H5375H970H2911H5288H3782H608614The elders no longer sit in the city gates; the young men no longer dance and sing.H2205H7673H8179H970H505815Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.H4885H3820H7673H4234H2015H6016The garlands have

fallen from our heads. Weep for us because we have sinned.H5850H5307H7218H188H239817Our hearts are sick and weary, and our eyes grow dim with tears.H3820H1739H5869H282118For Jerusalem

is empty and desolate, a place haunted by jackals.H2022H6726H8074H7776H198019But Lord, you remain the same forever! Your throne continues from generation to generation.H3068H3427H5769H3678H1755H175520Why do you continue to forget us? Why have you abandoned us for so long?H7911H5331H5800H753H311721Restore us, O Lord, and bring us back to you again! Give us back the joys we once had!H7725H3068H7725H2318H3117H692422Or have you utterly rejected us? Are you angry with us still?H3988H3988H3966H7107

Psalms 30

30[A psalm of David. A song for the dedication of the Temple.] I will exalt you, LORD, for you rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.H4210H7892H2598H1004H1732H7311H3068H1802H341H80552O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health.H3068H430H7768H74953You brought me up from the grave

, O LORD. You kept me from falling into the pit of death.H3068H5927H5315H7585H2421H3381H3381H9534Sing to the LORD, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name.H2167H3068H2623H3034H2143H69445For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.H639H7281H7522H2416H1065H3885H6153H7440H12426When I was prosperous, I said, "Nothing can stop me now!"H7959H559H5769H41317Your favor, O LORD, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.H3068H7522H2042H5975H5797H5641H6440H9268I cried out to you, O LORD. I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,H7121H3068H3068H26039"What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave? Can my dust praise you? Can it tell of your faithfulness?H1215H1818H3381H7845H6083H3034H5046H57110Hear me, LORD, and have mercy on me. Help me, O LORD."H8085H3068H2603H3068H582611You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,H2015H4553H4234H6605H8242H247H805712that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever!H3519H2167H1826H3068H430H3034H5769

Lamentations 4-5; Psalms 30 - Prayer Tents

Lamentations 4

God’s Anger Satisfied

Lamentations 5

Prayer for Restoration

Psalms 30