Pastor Ron Roddey
"Choose Hope"
Cornerstone Baptist Church
Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA
Sunday Morning, May 21, 2017

From Lamentations Chapter 3
3:1 I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

3:2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.

3:3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

3:4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.

3:5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.

3:6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.

3:7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.

3:8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

3:9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.

3:10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.

3:11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.

3:12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

3:13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

3:14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.

3:15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.

3:16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.

3:17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.

3:18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:

3:19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

3:20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

3:21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

3:22 It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

3:24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

3:25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

3:27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke of his youth.

3:28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.

3:29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.

3:30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.

3:31 For the LORD will not cast off for ever:

3:32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

3:33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

3:34 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.

3:35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,

3:36 To subvert a man in his cause, the LORD approveth not.

3:37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

3:38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

3:39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

3:40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

3:41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

3:42 We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.

3:43 Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.

3:44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.

3:45 Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.

3:46 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.

3:47 Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.

3:48 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

3:49 Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission.

3:50 Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.

3:51 Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.

3:52 Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.

3:53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.

3:54 Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.

3:55 I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.

3:56 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.

3:57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.

3:58 O LORD, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.

3:59 O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.

3:60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.

3:61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;

3:62 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.

3:63 Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.

3:64 Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.

3:65 Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.

3:66 Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.