31 I 'am' the man 'who' hath seen affliction By the rod of His wrath. 2 Me He hath led, and causeth to go 'in' darkness, and without light. 3 Surely against me He turneth back, He turneth His hand all the day. 4 He hath worn out my flesh and my skin. He hath broken my bones. 5 He hath built up against me, And setteth round poverty and weariness. 6 In dark places He hath caused me to dwell, As the dead of old. 7 He hath hedged me about, and I go not out, He hath made heavy my fetter. 8 Also when I call and cry out, He hath shut out my prayer. 9 He hath hedged my ways with hewn work, My paths He hath made crooked. 10 A bear lying in wait He 'is' to me, A lion in secret hiding-places. 11 My ways He is turning aside, and He pulleth me in pieces, He hath made me a desolation. 12 He hath trodden His bow, And setteth me up as a mark for an arrow. 13 He hath caused to enter into my reins The sons of His quiver. 14 I have been a derision to all my people, Their song all the day. 15 He hath filled me with bitter things, He hath filled me 'with' wormwood. 16 And He breaketh with gravel my teeth, He hath covered me with ashes. 17 And Thou castest off from peace my soul, I have forgotten prosperity. 18 And I say, Perished hath my strength and my hope from Jehovah. 19 Remember my affliction and my mourning, Wormwood and gall! 20 Remember well, and bow down doth my soul in me.
21 This I turn to my heart—therefore I hope. 22 The kindnesses of Jehovah! For we have not been consumed, For not ended have His mercies. 23 New every morning, abundant 'is' thy faithfulness. 24 My portion 'is' Jehovah, hath my soul said, Therefore I hope for Him. 25 Good 'is' Jehovah to those waiting for Him, To the soul 'that' seeketh Him. 26 Good! when one doth stay and stand still For the salvation of Jehovah. 27 Good for a man that he beareth a yoke in his youth. 28 He sitteth alone, and is silent, For He hath laid 'it' upon him. 29 He putteth in the dust his mouth, if so be there is hope. 30 He giveth to his smiter the cheek, He is filled with reproach. 31 For the Lord doth not cast off to the age. 32 For though He afflicted, yet He hath pitied, According to the abundance of His kindness. 33 For He hath not afflicted with His heart, Nor doth He grieve the sons of men. 34 To bruise under one's feet any bound ones of earth, 35 To turn aside the judgment of a man, Over-against the face of the Most High, 36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord hath not approved.
37 Who 'is' this—he hath said, and it is, 'And' the Lord hath not commanded 'it'? 38 From the mouth of the Most High Go not forth the evils and the good. 39 What—sigh habitually doth a living man, A man for his sin? 40 We search our ways, and investigate, And turn back unto Jehovah. 41 We lift up our heart on the hands unto God in the heavens.
42 We—we have transgressed and rebelled, Thou—Thou hast not forgiven. 43 Thou hast covered Thyself with anger, And dost pursue us; Thou hast slain—Thou hast not pitied. 44 Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, So that prayer doth not pass through. 45 Offscouring and refuse Thou dost make us In the midst of the peoples. 46 Opened against us their mouth have all our enemies. 47 Fear and a snare hath been for us, Desolation and destruction. 48 Rivulets of water go down my eye, For the destruction of the daughter of my people. 49 Mine eye is poured out, And doth not cease without intermission, 50 Till Jehovah looketh and seeth from the heavens, 51 My eye affecteth my soul, Because of all the daughters of my city. 52 Hunted me sore as a bird have my enemies without cause. 53 They have cut off in a pit my life, And they cast a stone against me. 54 Flowed have waters over my head, I have said, I have been cut off.
55 I called Thy name, O Jehovah, from the lower pit. 56 My voice Thou hast heard, Hide not Thine ear at my breathing—at my cry. 57 Thou hast drawn near in the day I call Thee, Thou hast said, Fear not. 58 Thou hast pleaded, O Lord, the pleadings of my soul, Thou hast redeemed my life. 59 Thou hast seen, O Jehovah, my overthrow, Judge Thou my cause. 60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance, All their thoughts of me. 61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, All their thoughts against me, 62 The lips of my withstanders, Even their meditation against me all the day. 63 Their sitting down, and their rising up, Behold attentively, I 'am' their song. 64 Thou returnest to them the deed, O Jehovah, According to the work of their hands. 65 Thou givest to them a covered heart, Thy curse to them. 66 Thou pursuest in anger, and destroyest them, From under the heavens of Jehovah!
41 How is the gold become dim, Changed the best—the pure gold? Poured out are stones of the sanctuary At the head of all out-places. 2 The precious sons of Zion, Who are comparable with fine gold, How have they been reckoned earthen bottles, Work of the hands of a potter. 3 Even dragons have drawn out the breast, They have suckled their young ones, The daughter of my people is become cruel, Like the ostriches in a wilderness. 4 Cleaved hath the tongue of a suckling unto his palate with thirst, Infants asked bread, a dealer out they have none. 5 Those eating of dainties have been desolate in out-places, Those supported on scarlet have embraced dunghills. 6 And greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people, Than the sin of Sodom, That was overturned as 'in' a moment, And no hands were stayed on her. 7 Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form. 8 Darker than blackness hath been their visage, They have not been known in out-places, Cleaved hath their skin unto their bone, It hath withered—it hath been as wood. 9 Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field. 10 The hands of merciful women have boiled their own children, They have been for food to them, In the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11 Completed hath Jehovah His fury, He hath poured out the fierceness of His anger, And he kindleth a fire in Zion, And it devoureth her foundations. 12 Believe not did the kings of earth, And any of the inhabitants of the world, That come would an adversary and enemy Into the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Because of the sins of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who are shedding in her midst the blood of the righteous, 14 They have wandered naked in out-places, They have been polluted with blood, Without 'any' being able to touch their clothing, 15 'Turn aside—unclean,' they called to them, 'Turn aside, turn aside, touch not,' For they fled—yea, they have wandered, They have said among nations: 'They do not add to sojourn.' 16 The face of Jehovah hath divided them, He doth not add to behold them, The face of priests they have not lifted up, Elders they have not favoured. 17 While we exist—consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation 'that' saveth not. 18 They have hunted our steps from going in our broad-places, Near hath been our end, fulfilled our days, For come hath our end. 19 Swifter have been our pursuers, Than the eagles of the heavens, On the mountains they have burned 'after' us, In the wilderness they have laid wait for us. 20 The breath of our nostrils—the anointed of Jehovah, Hath been captured in their pits, of whom we said: 'In his shadow we do live among nations.'
21 Joy and rejoice, O daughter of Edom, Dwelling in the land of Uz, Even unto thee pass over doth a cup, Thou art drunk, and makest thyself naked. 22 Completed 'is' thy iniquity, daughter of Zion, He doth not add to remove thee, He hath inspected thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He hath removed 'thee' because of thy sins!
51 Remember, O Jehovah, what hath befallen us, Look attentively, and see our reproach. 2 Our inheritance hath been turned to strangers, Our houses to foreigners. 3 Orphans we have been—without a father, our mothers 'are' as widows. 4 Our water for money we have drunk, Our wood for a price doth come. 5 For our neck we have been pursued, We have laboured—there hath been no rest for us. 6 'To' Egypt we have given a hand, 'To' Asshur, to be satisfied with bread. 7 Our fathers have sinned—they are not, We their iniquities have borne. 8 Servants have ruled over us, A deliverer there is none from their hand. 9 With our lives we bring in our bread, Because of the sword of the wilderness. 10 Our skin as an oven hath been burning, Because of the raging of the famine. 11 Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins—in cities of Judah. 12 Princes by their hand have been hanged, The faces of elders have not been honoured. 13 Young men to grind they have taken, And youths with wood have stumbled. 14 The aged from the gate have ceased, Young men from their song. 15 Ceased hath the joy of our heart, Turned to mourning hath been our dancing. 16 Fallen hath the crown 'from' our head, Wo 'is' now to us, for we have sinned.
17 For this hath our heart been sick, For these have our eyes been dim. 18 For the mount of Zion—that is desolate, Foxes have gone up on it. 19 Thou, O Jehovah, to the age remainest, Thy throne to generation and generation. 20 Why for ever dost Thou forget us? Thou forsakest us for length of days! 21 Turn us back, O Jehovah, unto Thee, And we turn back, renew our days as of old. 22 For hast Thou utterly rejected us? Thou hast been wroth against us—exceedingly?
19 Having, therefore, brethren, boldness for the entrance into the holy places, in the blood of Jesus, 20 which way he did initiate for us—new and living, through the vail, that is, his flesh— 21 and a high priest over the house of God, 22 may we draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having the hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having the body bathed with pure water; 23 may we hold fast the unwavering profession of the hope, (for faithful 'is' He who did promise), 24 and may we consider one another to provoke to love and to good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as a custom of certain 'is', but exhorting, and so much the more as ye see the day coming nigh. 26 For we—willfully sinning after the receiving the full knowledge of the truth—no more for sins doth there remain a sacrifice, 27 but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery zeal, about to devour the opposers; 28 any one who did set at nought a law of Moses, apart from mercies, by two or three witnesses, doth die, 29 of how much sorer punishment shall he be counted worthy who the Son of God did trample on, and the blood of the covenant did count a common thing, in which he was sanctified, and to the Spirit of the grace did despite? 30 for we have known Him who is saying, 'Vengeance 'is' Mine, I will recompense, saith the Lord;' and again, 'The Lord shall judge His people;'— 31 fearful 'is' the falling into the hands of a living God. 32 And call to your remembrance the former days, in which, having been enlightened, ye did endure much conflict of sufferings, 33 partly both with reproaches and tribulations being made spectacles, and partly having become partners of those so living, 34 for also with my bonds ye sympathised, and the robbery of your goods with joy ye did receive, knowing that ye have in yourselves a better substance in the heavens, and an enduring one. 35 Ye may not cast away, then, your boldness, which hath great recompense of reward, 36 for of patience ye have need, that the will of God having done, ye may receive the promise, 37 for yet a very very little, He who is coming will come, and will not tarry; 38 and 'the righteous by faith shall live,' and 'if he may draw back, My soul hath no pleasure in him,' 39 and we are not of those drawing back to destruction, but of those believing to a preserving of soul.
(Read Hebrews 10:19-25)
The apostle having closed the first part of the epistle, the doctrine is applied to practical purposes. As believers had an open way to the presence of God, it became them to use this privilege. The way and means by which Christians enjoy such privileges, is by the blood of Jesus, by the merit of that blood which he offered up as an atoning sacrifice. The agreement of infinite holiness with pardoning mercy, was not clearly understood till the human nature of Christ, the Son of God, was wounded and bruised for our sins. Our way to heaven is by a crucified Saviour; his death is to us the way of life, and to those who believe this, he will be precious. They must draw near to God; it would be contempt of Christ, still to keep at a distance. Their bodies were to be washed with pure water, alluding to the cleansings directed under the law: thus the use of water in baptism, was to remind Christians that their conduct should be pure and holy. While they derived comfort and grace from their reconciled Father to their own souls, they would adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things. Believers are to consider how they can be of service to each other, especially stirring up each other to the more vigorous and abundant exercise of love, and the practice of good works. The communion of saints is a great help and privilege, and a means of stedfastness and perseverance. We should observe the coming of times of trial, and be thereby quickened to greater diligence. There is a trying day coming on all men, the day of our death.
(Read Hebrews 10:26-31)
The exhortations against apostacy and to perseverance, are urged by many strong reasons. The sin here mentioned is a total and final falling away, when men, with a full and fixed will and resolution, despise and reject Christ, the only Saviour; despise and resist the Spirit, the only Sanctifier; and despise and renounce the gospel, the only way of salvation, and the words of eternal life. Of this destruction God gives some notorious sinners, while on earth, a fearful foreboding in their consciences, with despair of being able to endure or to escape it. But what punishment can be sorer than to die without mercy? We answer, to die by mercy, by the mercy and grace which they have despised. How dreadful is the case, when not only the justice of God, but his abused grace and mercy call for vengeance! All this does not in the least mean that any souls who sorrow for sin will be shut out from mercy, or that any will be refused the benefit of Christ's sacrifice, who are willing to accept these blessings. Him that cometh unto Christ, he will in no wise cast out.
(Read Hebrews 10:32-39)
Many and various afflictions united against the early Christians, and they had a great conflict. The Christian spirit is not a selfish spirit; it puts us upon pitying others, visiting them, helping them, and pleading for them. All things here are but shadows. The happiness of the saints in heaven will last for ever; enemies can never take it away as earthly goods. This will make rich amends for all we may lose and suffer here. The greatest part of the saints' happiness, as yet, is in promise. It is a trial of the patience of Christians, to be content to live after their work is done, and to stay for their reward till God's time to give it is come. He will soon come to them at death, to end all their sufferings, and to give them a crown of life. The Christian's present conflict may be sharp, but will be soon over. God never is pleased with the formal profession and outward duties and services of such as do not persevere; but he beholds them with great displeasure. And those who have been kept faithful in great trails for the time past, have reason to hope for the same grace to help them still to live by faith, till they receive the end of their faith and patience, even the salvation of their souls. Living by faith, and dying in faith, our souls are safe for ever.
