Jeremiah’s Complaint

7 You deceiveda i me, Lord, and I was deceivedb;

you overpoweredj me and prevailed.

I am ridiculedk all day long;

everyone mocksl me.

8 Whenever I speak, I cry out

proclaiming violence and destruction.m

So the word of the Lord has brought me

insult and reproachn all day long.

9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word

or speak anymore in his name,”o

his word is in my heart like a fire,p

a fire shut up in my bones.

I am weary of holding it in;q

indeed, I cannot.

10 I hear many whispering,

“Terrorr on every side!

Denounces him! Let’s denounce him!”

All my friendst

are waiting for me to slip,u saying,

“Perhaps he will be deceived;

then we will prevailv over him

and take our revengew on him.”

11 But the Lordx is with me like a mighty warrior;

so my persecutorsy will stumble and not prevail.z

They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;a

their dishonor will never be forgotten.

12 Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous

and probe the heart and mind,b

let me see your vengeancec on them,

for to you I have committedd my cause.

13 Singe to the Lord!

Give praise to the Lord!

He rescuesf the life of the needy

from the hands of the wicked.g