You fed them the bread of tears
and gave them a full measure
of tears to drink.

I eat ashes like bread
and mingle my drinks with tears

For You, Lord, rescued me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.

My eyes pour out streams of tears
because people do not follow Your instruction.

We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net;
the net is torn, and we have escaped.

Those who sow in tears
will reap with shouts of joy.

“Let us tear off their chains
and free ourselves from their restraints.”

I am weary from my groaning;
with my tears I dampen my pillow
and drench my bed every night.

or they will tear me like a lion,
ripping me apart with no one to rescue me.

They are like a lion eager to tear,
like a young lion lurking in ambush.

Because they do not consider
what the Lord has done
or the work of His hands,
He will tear them down and not rebuild them.

But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
they gathered against me.
Assailants I did not know
tore at me and did not stop.

“Hear my prayer, Lord,
and listen to my cry for help;
do not be silent at my tears.
For I am a foreigner residing with You,
a temporary resident like all my fathers.

My tears have been my food day and night,
while all day long people say to me,
“Where is your God?”

“Understand this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you apart,
and there will be no one to rescue you.

You Yourself have recorded my wanderings.
Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your records?

God, knock the teeth out of their mouths;
Lord, tear out the young lions’ fangs.