7 Poor me!
I feel like those who harvest summer fruit,
        or like those who pick grapes—
there are no clusters to eat
    or any fresh fruit that I want.
² The faithful have died off,
    and there is not one upright human being in the land.
They all stalk one another^[a] with lethal intent,
    a man will even hunt his own brother with a net.
³ And speaking of evil,
    they practice it eagerly—with both hands!
Both leader and judge demand a bribe,
    the famous confess their perverted desires,
        and they scheme together.
⁴ The best of them is like a thorn,
    and their most upright like a hedge of thorns.
The day announced by^[b] your watchmen—
    and by your own calculations—approaches.
        Now it’s your time to be^[c] confused!

⁷ But as for me, I will look to the Lord;
    I will wait for the God who will deliver me.
        My God will hear me.
⁸ Don’t be glad on my account, my enemy.
    When I fall, I’ll get up.
Though I sit in darkness,
    the Lord is a light for me.
⁹ I will endure the Lord’s anger—
    since I have sinned against him—
until he takes over my defense,
    administers justice on my behalf,
and brings me out to the light,
    where I will gaze on his righteousness.
¹⁰ Then my enemy will observe it,
    and shame will engulf the ones^[f] who asked me,
        ‘Where is the Lord your God?’
My own eyes will see them,^[g]
    they^[h] will be trampled on like mud in the streets.

¹¹ When the time comes^[i] for rebuilding your walls,
    that time^[j] will surely be extended.^[k]
12 At that time^[l] armies^[m] will invade you from Assyria,
    from Egyptian cities to the Euphrates^[n] River,
from sea to sea
    and from mountain to mountain.
¹³ The land will become desolate
    because of its inhabitants,
        and as a result of their behavior.

¹⁸ Is there any God like you,
    forgiving iniquity,
        passing over transgressions by the survivors who are your^[q] heritage?^[r]