Lamentations 3:52–66

^52–54“Enemies with no reason to be enemies

hunted me down like a bird.

They threw me into a pit,

then pelted me with stones.

Then the rains came and filled the pit.

The water rose over my head. I said, ‘It’s all over.’

^55–57“I called out your name, O God,

called from the bottom of the pit.

You listened when I called out, ‘Don’t shut your ears!

Get me out of here! Save me!’

You came close when I called out.

You said, ‘It’s going to be all right.’

^58–60“You took my side, Master;

you brought me back alive!

God, you saw the wrongs heaped on me.

Give me my day in court!

Yes, you saw their mean-minded schemes,

their plots to destroy me.

^61–63“You heard, God, their vicious gossip,

their behind-my-back plots to ruin me.

They never quit, these enemies of mine, dreaming up mischief,

hatching out malice, day after day after day.

Sitting down or standing up—just look at them!—

they mock me with vulgar doggerel.

^64–66“Make them pay for what they’ve done, God.

Give them their just deserts.

Break their miserable hearts!

Damn their eyes!

Get good and angry. Hunt them down.

Make a total demolition here under your heaven!”