Lamentations 3:19–33

¹⁹I remember how I suffered and wandered.

I remember how bitter my life was.

²⁰I remember it very well.

My spirit is very sad deep down inside me.

²¹But here is something else I remember.

And it gives me hope.

²²The Lord loves us very much.

So we haven’t been completely destroyed.

His loving concern never fails.

²³His great love is new every morning.

Lord, how faithful you are!

²⁴I say to myself, “The Lord is everything I will ever need.

So I will put my hope in him.”

²⁵The Lord is good to those who put their hope in him.

He is good to those who look to him.

²⁶It is good when people wait quietly

for the Lord to save them.

²⁷It is good for a man to carry a heavy load of suffering

while he is young.

²⁸Let him sit alone and not say anything.

The Lord has placed that load on him.

²⁹Let him bury his face in the dust.

There might still be hope for him.

³⁰Let him turn his cheek toward those who would slap him.

Let him be filled with shame.

³¹The Lord doesn’t turn his back

on people forever.

³²He might bring suffering.

But he will also show loving concern.

How great his faithful love is!

³³He doesn’t want to bring pain

or suffering to people.