Me

You have granted me life and loving devotion, and Your care has preserved my spirit.

If I sinned, You would take note, and would not acquit me of my iniquity.

If I am guilty, woe to me! And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift my head. I am full of shame and aware of my affliction.

Should I hold my head high, You would hunt me like a lion, and again display Your power against me.

Should I hold my head high, You would hunt me like a lion, and again display Your power against me.

You produce new witnesses against me and multiply Your anger toward me. Hardships assault me in wave after wave.

You produce new witnesses against me and multiply Your anger toward me. Hardships assault me in wave after wave.

You produce new witnesses against me and multiply Your anger toward me. Hardships assault me in wave after wave.

Why then did You bring me from the womb? Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!

Why then did You bring me from the womb? Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!

Are my days not few? Withdraw from me, that I may have a little comfort,

Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may.

Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.

Can anyone indict me? If so, I will be silent and die.

Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You:

Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.

Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.

Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.

Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.

How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin.

Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy?

For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth.

For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth.

If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me!

If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me!

If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me!

If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me!

Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,

Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family.

You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me.

You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me.

His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes.

His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes.

His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes.

His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes.

They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.

They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.

God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.

God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.

I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;

I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;

I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;

I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;

His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground.

He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior.

He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior.

“My spirit is broken; my days are extinguished; the grave awaits me.

Surely mockers surround me, and my eyes must gaze at their rebellion.

Give me, I pray, the pledge You demand. Who else will be my guarantor?

He has made me a byword among the people, a man in whose face they spit.

…where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me?

“How long will you torment me and crush me with your words?

“How long will you torment me and crush me with your words?

Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me.

Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me.

Even if I have truly gone astray, my error concerns me alone.

If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my disgrace against me,

If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my disgrace against me,

…then understand that it is God who has wronged me and drawn His net around me.

…then understand that it is God who has wronged me and drawn His net around me.

He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head.

He tears me down on every side until I am gone; He uproots my hope like a tree.

His anger burns against me, and He counts me among His enemies.

His anger burns against me, and He counts me among His enemies.

His troops advance together; they construct a ramp against me and encamp around my tent.

He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me.

He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me.

My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me.

My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me.

My guests and maidservants count me as a stranger; I am a foreigner in their sight.

Even little boys scorn me; when I appear, they deride me.

Even little boys scorn me; when I appear, they deride me.

All my best friends despise me, and those I love have turned against me.

All my best friends despise me, and those I love have turned against me.

Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.

Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.

Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?

I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!

“So my anxious thoughts compel me to answer, because of the turmoil within me.

“So my anxious thoughts compel me to answer, because of the turmoil within me.

I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding prompts a reply.

“Listen carefully to my words; let this be your consolation to me.

Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.

Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.

Behold, I know your thoughts full well, the schemes by which you would wrong me.

So how can you comfort me with empty words? For your answers remain full of falsehood.”

Would He contend with me in His great power? No, He would certainly take note of me.

Would He contend with me in His great power? No, He would certainly take note of me.

Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

For He carries out His decree against me, and He has many such plans.

God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.

The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ he covers his face.

If this is not so, then who can prove me a liar and reduce my words to nothing?”

“As surely as God lives, who has deprived me of justice—the Almighty, who has embittered my soul—

…as long as my breath is still within me and the breath of God remains in my nostrils,

I will cling to my righteousness and never let go. As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me.

The ocean depths say, ‘It is not in me,’ while the sea declares, ‘It is not with me.’

The ocean depths say, ‘It is not in me,’ while the sea declares, ‘It is not with me.’

“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,

…when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,