Excerpts From The Lament

My soul has been deprived of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is.
Then I thought: My future is lost,
as well as my hope from the Lord.

Remember my affliction
and my homelessness,
the bitterness and the poison.
I continually remember them
and have become depressed.

Yet I call this to mind,
and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord's great faithful love
we do not perish,
for His mercies never end.
They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness!
I say: the Lord is my portion,
therefore I will put my hope in Him.

For the Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
to the person who seeks Him.
It is good to wait quietly
for deliverance from the Lord.

...For the Lord will not reject us forever
Even if He causes suffering,
He will show compassion
according to His abundant,
faithful love.
For He does not enjoy
bringing affliction
or suffering on mankind.

...Who is there who speaks,
and it happens,
unless the Lord has ordained it?
Do not both adversity and good
come from the mouth
of the Most High?
Why should any living
person complain,
any man, because of the punishment
for his sins?

...Let us search out and examine our ways,
and turn back to the Lord.
Let us lift up our hearts
and our hands
to God in heaven.

[from Lamentations Chapter 3]