Jeremiah 20:7–13

Jeremiah Complains to the

⁷Lord, you have deceived me,

and I was deceived.

You are stronger than I am,

and you have overpowered me.

Everyone jeers at me;

they mock me all day long.

⁸Whenever I speak, I have to cry out

and shout, “Violence! Destruction!”

because I proclaim your message.

⁹But when I say, “I will forget the Lord

and no longer speak in his name,”

then your message is like a fire

burning deep within me.

I try my best to hold it in,

but can no longer keep it back.

¹⁰I hear everybody whispering,

“Terror is everywhere!

So let’s report him to the authorities!”

Even my close friends wait for my downfall.

“Perhaps he can be tricked,” they say;

“then we can catch him and get revenge.”

¹¹But you, Lord, are on my side, strong and mighty,

and those who persecute me will fail.

They will be disgraced for ever,

because they cannot succeed.

Their disgrace will never be forgotten.

¹²But, Almighty Lord, you test people justly;

you know what is in their hearts and minds.

So let me see you take revenge on my enemies,

for I have placed my cause in your hands.

¹³Sing to the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

He rescues the oppressed from the power of evil people.