55 I called on your name, Lord, from the depths of the pit. 56 You heard my plea: "Do not close your ears to my cry for relief." 57 You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear." 58 You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life. 59 Lord, you have seen the wrong done to me. Uphold my cause! 60 You have seen the depth of their vengeance, all their plots against me. 61 Lord, you have heard their insults, all their plots against me- 62 what my enemies whisper and mutter against me all day long. 63 Look at them! Sitting or standing, they mock me in their songs. 64 Pay them back what they deserve, Lord, for what their hands have done. 65 Put a veil over their hearts, and may your curse be on them! 66 Pursue them in anger and destroy them from under the heavens of the Lord.

Other Translations of Lamentations 3:55-66

King James Version

55 I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon. 56 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. 57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not. 58 O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life. 59 O Lord, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause. 60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me. 61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me; 62 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day. 63 Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick. 64 Render unto them a recompence, O Lord, according to the work of their hands. 65 Give them sorrow sorrow...: or, obstinacy of heart of heart, thy curse unto them. 66 Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the Lord.

English Standard Version

55 "I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit; 56 you heard my plea, 'Do not close your ear to my cry for help!' 57 You came near when I called on you; you said, 'Do not fear!' 58 "You have taken up my cause, O Lord; you have redeemed my life. 59 You have seen the wrong done to me, O Lord; judge my cause. 60 You have seen all their vengeance, all their plots against me. 61 "You have heard their taunts, O Lord, all their plots against me. 62 The lips and thoughts of my assailants are against me all the day long. 63 Behold their sitting and their rising; I am the object of their taunts. 64 "You will repay them,Or Repay them O Lord, according to the work of their hands. 65 You will give themOr Give them dullness of heart; your curse will beOr place your curse on them. 66 You will pursue themOr Pursue them in anger and destroy them from under your heavens, O Lord."Syriac (compare Septuagint, Vulgate); Hebrew the heavens of the Lord

The Message

55 "I called out your name, O God, called from the bottom of the pit. 56 You listened when I called out, 'Don't shut your ears! Get me out of here! Save me!' 57 You came close when I called out. You said, 'It's going to be all right.' 58 "You took my side, Master; you brought me back alive! 59 God, you saw the wrongs heaped on me. Give me my day in court! 60 Yes, you saw their mean-minded schemes, their plots to destroy me. 61 "You heard, God, their vicious gossip, their behind-my-back plots to ruin me. 62 They never quit, these enemies of mine, dreaming up mischief, hatching out malice, day after day after day. 63 Sitting down or standing up - just look at them! - they mock me with vulgar doggerel. 64 "Make them pay for what they've done, God. Give them their just deserts. 65 Break their miserable hearts! Damn their eyes! 66 Get good and angry. Hunt them down. Make a total demolition here under your heaven!"

New King James Version

55 I called on Your name, O Lord, From the lowest pit. 56 You have heard my voice: "Do not hide Your ear From my sighing, from my cry for help." 57 You drew near on the day I called on You, And said, "Do not fear!" 58 O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life. 59 O Lord, You have seen how I am wronged; Judge my case. 60 You have seen all their vengeance, All their schemes against me. 61 You have heard their reproach, O Lord, All their schemes against me, 62 The lips of my enemies And their whispering against me all the day. 63 Look at their sitting down and their rising up; I am their taunting song. 64 Repay them, O Lord, According to the work of their hands. 65 Give them a veiled heart; Your curse be upon them! 66 In Your anger, Pursue and destroy them From under the heavens of the Lord.

New Living Translation

55 But I called on your name, Lord, from deep within the pit. 56 You heard me when I cried, "Listen to my pleading! Hear my cry for help!" 57 Yes, you came when I called; you told me, "Do not fear." 58 Lord, you are my lawyer! Plead my case! For you have redeemed my life. 59 You have seen the wrong they have done to me, Lord . Be my judge, and prove me right. 60 You have seen the vengeful plots my enemies have laid against me. 61 Lord, you have heard the vile names they call me. You know all about the plans they have made. 62 My enemies whisper and mutter as they plot against me all day long. 63 Look at them! Whether they sit or stand, I am the object of their mocking songs. 64 Pay them back, Lord, for all the evil they have done. 65 Give them hard and stubborn hearts, and then let your curse fall on them! 66 Chase them down in your anger, destroying them beneath the Lord 's heavens.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Lamentations 3:55-66

Commentary on Lamentations 3:55-66

(Read Lamentations 3:55-66)

Faith comes off conqueror, for in these verses the prophet concludes with some comfort. Prayer is the breath of the new man, drawing in the air of mercy in petitions, and returning it in praises; it proves and maintains the spiritual life. He silenced their fears, and quieted their spirits. Thou saidst, Fear not. This was the language of God's grace, by the witness of his Spirit with their spirits. And what are all our sorrows, compared with those of the Redeemer? He will deliver his people from every trouble, and revive his church from every persecution. He will save believers with everlasting salvation, while his enemies perish with everlasting destruction.