A PSALM of despAIR.

15

R. Roared with wide mouth against thee all thy foes, Hissed and gnashed the teeth, and said: "We have destroyed;

Yea, this is the day we longed for; we have found it, we have seen it."

S. So hath Jehovah done as He had planned, fulfilled His word

Which He commanded from of old, tore down and pitied not,

But made thine enemy rejoice against thee, exalted the horn of thy foes.

T. Their heart crieth to the Lord in vain.

O daughter of Zion, make thy tears stream like rivers day and night,

Give thyself no respite, let the apple of thine eye not cease!

A PSALM OF DESPAIR.

Jehovah, God of my help, day and night I cry before Thee,

Let my prayer come unto Thee, bend Thine ear to my

call!

For with troubles am I sated, and my life is nigh to hell. I am counted with those gone down to the pit, I am become like one lifeless.

Among the dead my bed, like the slain that lie in the tomb,

Whom Thou rememberest no more, who are cut off from

Thee.

Thou hast laid me in the nether pit, in darkness, in the

gulf.

Thy wrath pressed upon me, with all Thy waves Thou humbledst me.

Thou hast put far mine acquaintance from me, Thou hast made me

An offence before them, shut up that I come not forth.

Mine eye wasteth through affliction; daily call I to Thee, Jehovah, I have spread out mine hands to Thee.

Dost Thou work wonders on the dead, or shall the shades arise and praise Thee?

Is Thy Love recounted in the grave, Thy truth in perdition ?

Are Thy wonders known in darkness, Thy justice in the land of oblivion ?

As for me to Thee I cry, at morn my prayer goes forth to meet Thee.

Why castest Thou me off, Jehovah, hidest Thy face from me?

Afflicted am I and feeble from youth; I have borne Thy terrors, I am distressed;

Thy fierce wrath is gone over me, Thine alarms have overwhelmed me;

They have surrounded me like water daily, have compassed me also.

Lover and friend Thou hast put far from me, mine acquaintance are darkness.

(And with this lamentation furthermore lamented men in the days of captivity :)

Remember, Jehovah, what hath come upon us;
Behold and see our shame :

SINS OF THE FATHers.

Our heritage is fallen unto strangers,
Our houses unto aliens.

Orphans are we, without father,
Our mothers like widows;
Our water we drink for payment,
Our wood we get at a price.

On our necks are our pursuers;
We faint, we find no rest;

To Egypt we have yielded,

To Assyria, for bread.

Our fathers-they are not,

We bear their guilt.

Over us rule slaves,

None rescueth from their hand.

With our life we fetch our bread,

Away from the sword of the desert;
Our skins-burning like ovens,
Because of the simoom of famine.

Women they ravished in Zion,
Maids in the cities of Judah;
Princes were hung by their hand,
The presence of elders dishonored.

Youths have carried the millstone,
Lads staggered under the faggots;
Elders are gone from the gate,
Young men from their merry-making.

17

The joy of our heart is ended,
Our dances turned to mourning;

The crown from our head is fallen :
Woe, woe betide us, for we have sinned.

For this our heart is sick,
For this our eyes are dim,
For Mount Zion, that is waste,
Whereon the jackals roam.

Thou, Jehovah, abidest alway,
Thy throne from age to age;
Why dost Thou forget us ever?
Forsakest us so long?

Turn us, Jehovah, and let us return,
Renew Thou our days as of old.
But Thou hast rejected us utterly,
Thou art exceeding wroth.

II. KINGS, xxv.

CHAPTER III.

PSALMS, xl., xlii., xliii., li., lxx., cii. JEREMIAH

lii. EZEKIEL, xxxiii.-xxxvi.

THE CAPTIVITY.-II.

REPENTANCE AND HOPE.

Ezekiel Preaches Repentance-God is not Unjust-Punished for Their Own Sin-Repent and Live-A Penitential Psalm-A Ray of Hope-A Prayer for Restoration-Ezekiel Predicts DeliveranceEmblem of the Two Sticks-Ephraim and Judah United-David shall be King-A Psalm of Hope-As Longs the Hind-King Jehoiachin at Liberty-Jewish Leaders Denounced-Leading the Sheep Astray-Jehovah Seeks His Sheep-He Judges the Wicked -David Jehovah's Shepherd-Cleansing the Heart-Keeping the Law-Judah Repeopled-True Religion-Righteousness not Sacrifice-God will Deliver.

(IN those days came the word of the Lord to Ezekiel son of Buzi, the prophet, saying :)

Thou, son of man, say unto the house of Israel: Thus ye speak, saying, Our transgressions and our sins are upon us, wherein we pine away; and how shall we live? Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? And thou, son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; and as