Sorrow for Israel’s Sins
Woe is me!
For I am like those who gather summer fruits,
Like those who aglean vintage grapes;
There is no cluster to eat
Of the first‑ripe fruit which bmy soul desires.
2 The afaithful man has perished from the earth,
And there is no one upright among men.
They all lie in wait for blood;
bEvery man hunts his brother with a net.
3 That they may successfully do evil with both hands—
The prince asks for gifts,
The judge seeks a abribe,
And the great man utters his evil desire;
So they scheme together.
4 The best of them is alike a brier;
The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge;
The day of your watchman and your punishment comes;
Now shall be their perplexity.
5 aDo not trust in a friend;
Do not put your confidence in a companion;
Guard the doors of your mouth
From her who lies in your bbosom.
6 For ason dishonors father,
Daughter rises against her mother,
Daughter‑in‑law against her mother‑in‑law;
A man’s enemies are the men of his own household.
7 Therefore I will look to the Lord;
I will await for the God of my salvation;
My God will hear me.
Israel’s Confession and Comfort
8 aDo not rejoice over me, my enemy;
bWhen I fall, I will arise;
When I sit in darkness,
The Lord will be a light to me.
9 aI will bear the indignation of the Lord,
Because I have sinned against Him,
Until He pleads my bcase
And executes justice for me.
He will bring me forth to the light;
I will see His righteousness.
10 Then she who is my enemy will see,
And ashame will cover her who said to me,
b“Where is the Lord your God?”
My eyes will see her;
Now she will be trampled down
Like mud in the streets.
11 In the day when your awalls are to be built,
In that day the decree shall go far and wide.
12 In that day athey shall come to you
From Assyria and the fortified cities,
From the fortress to the River,
From sea to sea,
And mountain to mountain.
13 Yet the land shall be desolate
Because of those who dwell in it,
And afor the fruit of their deeds.
God Will Forgive Israel
14 Shepherd Your people with Your staff,
The flock of Your heritage,
Who dwell solitarily in a awoodland,
In the midst of Carmel;
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,
As in days of old.
15 “Asa in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt,
I will show them bwonders.”
16 The nations ashall see and be ashamed of all their might;
bThey shall put their hand over their mouth;
Their ears shall be deaf.
17 They shall lick the adust like a serpent;
bThey shall crawl from their holes like snakes of the earth.
cThey shall be afraid of the Lord our God,
And shall fear because of You.
18 aWho is a God like You,
bPardoning iniquity
And passing over the transgression of cthe remnant of His heritage?
dHe does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delights in emercy.
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 aYou will give truth to Jacob
And mercy to Abraham,
bWhich You have sworn to our fathers
From days of old.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved.