7
1 Misery
is mine!
Indeed, I am
like one
who gathers the
summer fruits, as
gleanings of
the vineyard.
There is
no cluster of
grapes to eat.
My soul desires
to eat the early
fig.
2 The
godly man
has perished out
of the earth,
and there is
no one upright
among men.
They all lie
in wait for blood;
every man hunts
his brother with a
net.
3 Their
hands are on
that which is
evil to do
it diligently.
The ruler and
judge ask for
a bribe.
The powerful man dictates
the evil desire
of his soul.
Thus they conspire together.
4 The
best of them
is like a
brier.
The most upright
is worse than a
thorn hedge.
The day of
your watchmen,
even your visitation,
has come;
now is the
time of their
confusion.
5 Don’t trust
in a neighbor.
Don’t put confidence in
a friend.
With the woman
lying in
your embrace,
be careful of
the words of
your mouth!
6 For
the son dishonors
the father,
the daughter
rises up against
her mother,
the daughter-in-law
against her
mother-in-law;
a man’s enemies
are the men
of his own house.
7 But
as for me,
I will look
to the LORD.
I will wait
for the God
of my salvation.
My God will
hear me.
8 Don’t rejoice
against me,
my enemy.
When I fall,
I will arise.
When I sit
in darkness, the
LORD will be
a light to me.
9 I
will bear the
indignation of the
LORD,
because I have
sinned against him,
until he pleads
my case and
executes judgment
for me.
He will bring
me out to
the light.
I will see
his righteousness.
10 Then
my enemy will see
it,
and shame will
cover her who said
to me,
“Where is the
LORD your God?”
My eyes will
see her.
Now she will be
trodden down like
the mire of
the streets.
11 A
day to build
your walls!
In that day,
he will extend
your boundary.
12 In
that day they
will come to
you from Assyria
and the cities
of Egypt,
and from Egypt
even to the
River,
and from sea
to sea,
and mountain to
mountain.
13 Yet
the land will be
desolate because
of those who
dwell therein,
for the fruit
of their doings.
14 Shepherd
your people with
your staff,
the flock of
your heritage,
who dwell by
themselves in a
forest.
Let them feed in
the middle
of fertile pasture
land,
in Bashan and
Gilead, as in
the days of
old.
15 “As
in the days
of your coming
out of the land
of Egypt,
I will show
them marvelous
things.”
16 The
nations will see
and be ashamed of
all their might.
They will lay
their hand on
their mouth.
Their ears will
be deaf.
17 They
will lick the
dust like a
serpent.
Like crawling
things of the
earth, they will
come trembling out
of their dens.
They will come
with fear to
the LORD our
God,
and will be
afraid because of
you.
18 Who
is a God
like you, who
pardons iniquity,
and passes over
the disobedience of
the remnant of
his heritage?
He doesn’t retain
his anger forever,
because he
delights in loving
kindness.
19 He
will again have
compassion on us.
He will tread
our iniquities
under foot.
You will cast
all their sins
into the depths
of the sea.
20 You
will give truth to
Jacob,
and mercy
to Abraham,
as you have
sworn to
our fathers from
the days of
old.