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A Lament over the Destruction of Jerusalem, and Prayer for Help.

¹ O God, the ^(C1)nations have invaded the land of Your people ^(C2)Your inheritance;
They have defiled Your ^(C3)sacred temple;
They have ^(C4)laid Jerusalem in ruins.

² They have given the ^(C1)dead bodies of Your servants as food to the birds of the heavens,
The flesh of Your godly ones to the beasts of the earth.

³ They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem,
And there was ^(C1)no one to bury them.

⁴ We have become an ^(C1)object of taunting to our neighbors because of our humiliation,
A derision and mockery to those who encircle us.

^5 (C1)How long, O LORD? Will You be angry forever?
Will Your ^(C2)jealousy which cannot endure a divided allegiance ^(C3)burn like fire?

^6 (C1)Pour out Your wrath on the Gentile nations that ^(C2)do not know You,
And on the kingdoms that ^(C3)do not call on Your name. ^(VR1)

⁷ For they have ^(C1)devoured Jacob
And ^(C2)made his pasture desolate.

⁸ O ^(C1)do not remember against us the sins and guilt of our forefathers.
Let Your compassion and mercy come quickly to ^(C2)meet us,
For we have been ^(C3)brought very low.

^9 (C1)Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of ^(C2)Your name;
Rescue us, ^(C3)forgive us our sins ^(C4)for Your name's sake.

^10 (C1)Why should the Gentile nations say, "Where is their God?"
Let there be known without delay among the nations in our sight and to this generation,
^(C2)Your vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been poured out.

¹¹ Let ^(C1)the groaning and sighing of the prisoner come before You;
According to the greatness of Your power keep safe those who are ^(C1)doomed to die.

¹² And return ^(C1)into the lap of our neighbors ^(C2)sevenfold
The ^(C3)taunts with which they have taunted You, O Lord.

¹³ So we Your people, the ^(C1)sheep of Your pasture,
Will ^(C2)give You thanks forever;
We will ^(C3)declare and publish Your praise from generation to generation.