Study Desk

Get up, cry out in the night, even as the night begins. Pour out your heart like water in prayer to the Lord. Lift up your hands in prayer to him for the life of your children who are fainting with hunger on every street corner.

Jerusalem says: "Look, Lord , and see to whom you have done this. Women eat their own babies, the children they have cared for. Priests and prophets are killed in the Temple of the Lord.

"You invited terrors to come against me on every side, as if you were inviting them to a feast. No one escaped or remained alive on the day of the Lord 's anger. My enemy has killed those I cared for and brought up."

I cry out and beg for help, but he ignores my prayer.

He prepared to shoot his bow and made me the target for his arrows.

It is good to wait quietly for the Lord to save.

It is good for someone to work hard while he is young.

No one should complain when he is punished for his sins.

Those who are my enemies for no reason hunted me like a bird.

Lord , you have seen how I have been wronged. Now judge my case for me.

Pay them back, Lord , for what they have done.

The babies are so thirsty their tongues stick to the roofs of their mouths. Children beg for bread, but no one gives them any.

Also, our eyes grew tired, looking for help that never came. We kept watch from our towers for a nation to save us.

We have to buy the water we drink; we must pay for the firewood.

Why have you forgotten us for so long? Have you left us forever?

"Human, I now make you a watchman for Israel. Any time you hear a word from my mouth, warn them for me.

When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,' you must warn them so they may live. If you don't speak out to warn the wicked to stop their evil ways, they will die in their sin. But I will hold you responsible for their death.

"Again, those who do right may turn away from doing good and do evil. If I make something bad happen to them, they will die. Because you have not warned them, they will die because of their sin, and the good they did will not be remembered. But I will hold you responsible for their deaths.

As for you, human, the people will tie you up with ropes so that you will not be able to go out among them.

"Then lie down on your left side, and take the guilt of Israel on yourself. Their guilt will be on you for the number of days you lie on your left side.