Psalms 69:20

“Awake, sword, against my shepherd, and against the man who is close to me,” says Yahweh of Armies. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; and I will turn my hand against the little ones.

Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet and put him in the stocks that were in the upper gate of Benjamin, which was in Yahweh’s house.

Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were bound, and he was there in custody.

Because of all my adversaries I have become utterly contemptible to my neighbors, a horror to my acquaintances. Those who saw me on the street fled from me.

My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”

For the zeal of your house consumes me. The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

“I have heard many such things. You are all miserable comforters!

So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”

From the end of the earth, I will call to you when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair. I didn’t hide my face from shame and spitting.

I looked, and there was no one to help; and I wondered that there was no one to uphold. Therefore my own arm brought salvation to me. My own wrath upheld me.

She weeps bitterly in the night. Her tears are on her cheeks. Among all her lovers she has no one to comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her. They have become her enemies.

“I sought for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

Now you shall gather yourself in troops, daughter of troops. He has laid siege against us. They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.

It will happen that all those who look at you will flee from you, and say, ‘Nineveh is laid waste! Who will mourn for her?’ Where will I seek comforters for you?”

He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch.”

I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.

Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.

Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,

“ ‘When you offer an offering of a meal offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.

Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Jordan. By the morning light there lacked not one of them who had not gone over the Jordan.

In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.

They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves together against me.

Many there are who say of my soul, “There is no help for him in God.”

Help, Yahweh; for the godly man ceases. For the faithful fail from among the children of men.

For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable to them.

Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for your servants’ blood is being poured out.

You have taken my friends from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I can’t escape.

You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.

Why should the nations say, “Where is their God, now?”

The arrogant mock me excessively, but I don’t swerve from your law.

Look on my right, and see; for there is no one who is concerned for me. Refuge has fled from me. No one cares for my soul.

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them.

But these two things will come to you in a moment in one day, the loss of children and widowhood. They will come on you in their full measure, in the multitude of your sorceries, and the great abundance of your enchantments.

But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride. My eye will weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because Yahweh’s flock has been taken captive.

“You shall say this word to them: “ ‘Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.

Afterward,” says Yahweh, “I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, his servants, and the people, even those who are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life. He will strike them with the edge of the sword. He will not spare them, have pity, or have mercy.” ’

I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, until they are consumed from off the land that I gave to them and to their fathers.’ ”

Her filthiness was in her skirts. She didn’t remember her latter end. Therefore she has come down astoundingly. She has no comforter. “See, Yahweh, my affliction; for the enemy has magnified himself.”

“They have heard that I sigh. There is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble. They are glad that you have done it. You will bring the day that you have proclaimed, and they will be like me.

My eyes fail with tears. My heart is troubled. My liver is poured on the earth, because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, because the young children and the infants swoon in the streets of the city.

Their heart cried to the Lord. O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night. Give yourself no relief. Don’t let the your eyes rest.

Terror and the pit have come on us, devastation and destruction.”

My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill. Yes, my sheep were scattered on all the surface of the earth. There was no one who searched or sought.”

When they finished eating the grass of the land, then I said, “Lord Yahweh, forgive, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”

“When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Yahweh. My prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.

Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

The Son of Man goes, even as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”

Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

When I was with you in the temple daily, you didn’t stretch out your hands against me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, another steps down before me.”

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, “Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me.”

Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,

And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.

Take reproach and contempt away from me, for I have kept your statutes.

When I look, there is no man, even among them there is no counselor who, when I ask of them, can answer a word.

Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his offspring. He will prolong his days and Yahweh’s pleasure will prosper in his hand.

For who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will mourn you? Who will come to ask of your welfare?

“I called for my lovers, but they deceived me. My priests and my elders gave up the spirit in the city, while they sought food for themselves to refresh their souls.

But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

They all left him, and fled.

By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

“He has put my brothers far from me. My acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.

My God, my soul is in despair within me. Therefore I remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon, from the hill Mizar.

As with a sword in my bones, my adversaries reproach me, while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”

My heart is severely pained within me. The terrors of death have fallen on me.

My heart is blighted like grass, and withered, for I forget to eat my bread.

My enemies reproach me all day. Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.

Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.

When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.

Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

These two things have happened to you— who will grieve with you?— desolation and destruction, and famine and the sword. How can I comfort you?

“For these things I weep. My eye, my eye runs down with water, because the comforter who should refresh my soul is far from me. My children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.”

Let him give his cheek to him who strikes him. Let him be filled full of reproach.

But all this has happened that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads,

He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you watch one hour?

“Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time?’ But I came to this time for this cause.

Behold, the time is coming, yes, and has now come, that you will be scattered, everyone to his own place, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

since he longed for you all, and was very troubled because you had heard that he was sick.

considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment.

Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved in various trials,