3 I clothe the heavens with darkness

and make sackcloth its covering.”

4 The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,

to know the word that sustains the weary.

He wakens me morning by morning,

wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

5 The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears;

I have not been rebellious,

I have not turned away.

6 I offered my back to those who beat me,

my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;

I did not hide my face

from mocking and spitting.

7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,

I will not be disgraced.

Therefore have I set my face like flint,

and I know I will not be put to shame.

8 He who vindicates me is near.

Who then will bring charges against me?

Let us face each other!

Who is my accuser?

Let him confront me!

3 I clothe the heavens with blackness,

And I make sackcloth their covering.

4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned,

That I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary:

He wakeneth morning by morning,

He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear,

And I was not rebellious,

Neither turned away back.

6 I gave my back to the smiters,

And my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair:

I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

7 For the Lord God will help me;

Therefore shall I not be confounded:

Therefore have I set my face like a flint,

And I know that I shall not be ashamed.

8 He is near that justifieth me;

Who will contend with me? let us stand together:

Who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

3 I dress the skies in darkness,

covering them with clothes of mourning.”

4 The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom,

so that I know how to comfort the weary.

Morning by morning he wakens me

and opens my understanding to his will.

5 The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me,

and I have listened.

I have not rebelled or turned away.

6 I offered my back to those who beat me

and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard.

I did not hide my face

from mockery and spitting.

7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,

I will not be disgraced.

Therefore, I have set my face like a stone,

determined to do his will.

And I know that I will not be put to shame.

8 He who gives me justice is near.

Who will dare to bring charges against me now?

Where are my accusers?

Let them appear!

3 I clothe the heavens with blackness,

And I make sackcloth their covering.”

4 “The Lord God has given Me

The tongue of the learned,

That I should know how to speak

A word in season to him who is weary.

He awakens Me morning by morning,

He awakens My ear

To hear as the learned.

5 The Lord God has opened My ear;

And I was not rebellious,

Nor did I turn away.

6 I gave My back to those who struck Me,

And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard;

I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.

7 “For the Lord God will help Me;

Therefore I will not be disgraced;

Therefore I have set My face like a flint,

And I know that I will not be ashamed.

8 He is near who justifies Me;

Who will contend with Me?

Let us stand together.

Who is My adversary?

Let him come near Me.

3 I can make the skies dark;

I can make them black like clothes of sadness.”

4 The Lord God gave me the ability to teach

so that I know what to say to make the weak strong.

Every morning he wakes me.

He teaches me to listen like a student.

5 The Lord God helps me learn,

and I have not turned against him

nor stopped following him.

6 I offered my back to those who beat me.

I offered my cheeks to those who pulled my beard.

I won’t hide my face from them

when they make fun of me and spit at me.

7 The Lord God helps me,

so I will not be ashamed.

I will be determined,

and I know I will not be disgraced.

8 He shows that I am innocent, and he is close to me.

So who can accuse me?

If there is someone, let us go to court together.

If someone wants to prove I have done wrong,

he should come and tell me.

3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

4 The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of them that are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as they that are taught. 5 The Lord Jehovah hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away backward. 6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 7 For the Lord Jehovah will help me; therefore have I not been confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand up together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

4 The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of the instructed, that I should know how to succour by a word him that is weary. He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the instructed. 5 The Lord Jehovah hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not away back. 6 I gave my back to smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 7 But the Lord Jehovah will help me: therefore shall I not be confounded; therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. 8 He is near that justifieth me: who will contend with me? let us stand together; who is mine adverse party? let him draw near unto me.

3 I clothe the heavens in darkness 

and cover them with sackcloth. 

4 The Almighty Lord will teach me what to say, 

so I will know how to encourage weary people. 

Morning after morning he will wake me 

to listen like a student. 

5 The Almighty Lord will open my ears. 

I will not rebel, nor will I turn away ⸤from him⸥. 

6 I will offer my back to those who whip me 

and my cheeks to those who pluck hairs out of my beard. 

I will not turn my face away from those who humiliate me 

and spit on me. 

7 The Almighty Lord helps me. 

That is why I will not be ashamed. 

I have set my face like a flint. 

I know that I will not be put to shame. 

8 The one who pronounces me innocent is near. 

Who will bring a case against me? 

Let us confront each other! 

Who accuses me? 

Let him confront me! 

3 I dress the heavens in black

and make sackcloth their clothing.

4 The Lord God has given Me

the tongue of those who are instructed

to know how to sustain the weary with a word.

He awakens Me each morning;

He awakens My ear to listen like those being instructed.

5 The Lord God has opened My ear,

and I was not rebellious;

I did not turn back.

6 I gave My back to those who beat Me,

and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard.

I did not hide My face from scorn and spitting.

7 The Lord God will help Me;

therefore I have not been humiliated;

therefore I have set My face like flint,

and I know I will not be put to shame.

8 The One who vindicates Me is near;

who will contend with Me?

Let us confront each other.

Who has a case against Me?

Let him come near Me!

3 I clothe the heavens with blackness,

and make sackcloth their covering.

4 The Lord God has given me

the tongue of a teacher,

that I may know how to sustain

the weary with a word.

Morning by morning he wakens—

wakens my ear

to listen as those who are taught.

5 The Lord God has opened my ear,

and I was not rebellious,

I did not turn backward.

6 I gave my back to those who struck me,

and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;

I did not hide my face

from insult and spitting.

7 The Lord God helps me;

therefore I have not been disgraced;

therefore I have set my face like flint,

and I know that I shall not be put to shame;

8 he who vindicates me is near.

Who will contend with me?

Let us stand up together.

Who are my adversaries?

Let them confront me.

3 I clothe the heavens with darkness,

and I make their covering sackcloth.”

4 The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of a pupil,

to know how to help the weary with a word.

He awakens morning by morning,

awakens an ear for me to listen as do the pupils.

5 The Lord Yahweh has opened an ear for me,

and I, I was not rebellious.

I did not turn backwards;

6 I gave my back to those who struck me,

and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;

I did not hide my face from insults and spittle.

7 And the Lord Yahweh helps me,

therefore I have not been put to shame;

therefore I have set my face like flint.

And I know that I shall not be ashamed;

8 he who obtains rights for me is near.

Who will contend with me? Let us stand together.

Who is the master of my judgment? Let him approach me.

3 I make the sky turn dark.

It looks as if it is dressed in black clothes.”

4 The Lord and King has taught me what to say.

He has taught me how to help those who are tired.

He wakes me up every morning.

He makes me want to listen like a good student.

5 The Lord and King has unplugged my ears.

I’ve always obeyed him.

I haven’t turned away from him.

6 I let my enemies beat me on my bare back.

I let them pull the hair out of my beard.

I didn’t turn my face away

when they made fun of me and spit on me.

7 The Lord and King helps me.

He won’t let me be dishonored.

So I’ve made up my mind to keep on serving him.

I know he won’t let me be put to shame.

8 He is near. He will prove I haven’t done anything wrong.

So who will bring charges against me?

Let’s face each other in court!

Who can bring charges against me?

Let him come and face me!

3 “I clothe the heavens with blackness

And make sackcloth their covering.”

4 The Lord God has given Me the tongue of disciples,

That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word.

He awakens Me morning by morning,

He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.

5 The Lord God has opened My ear;

And I was not disobedient

Nor did I turn back.

6 I gave My back to those who strike Me,

And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard;

I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.

7 For the Lord God helps Me,

Therefore, I am not disgraced;

Therefore, I have set My face like flint,

And I know that I will not be ashamed.

8 He who vindicates Me is near;

Who will contend with Me?

Let us stand up to each other;

Who has a case against Me?

Let him draw near to Me.