Tuesday, October 10, 2006

The Joys Of Suffering

6 "If I speak, (A) my pain is not lessened, and if I hold back, what has left me?

7 "But now He has (B) exhausted me; You have laid (C) waste all my company.

8 "You have shriveled me up, (D) it has become a witness; and my (E) leanness rises up against me, it testifies to my face.

9 "His anger has (F) torn me and hunted me down, He has (G) gnashed at me with His teeth; my (H) adversary glares at me.

10 "They have (I) gaped at me with their mouth, they have (J) slapped me on the cheek with contempt; they have (K) massed themselves against me.

11 "God hands me over to ruffians and tosses me into the hands of the wicked.

12 "I was at ease, but (L) He shattered me, and He has grasped me by the neck and shaken me to pieces; He has also set me up as His (M) target.

13 "His (N) arrows surround me without mercy He splits my kidneys open; He pours out (O) my gall on the ground.

14 "He (P) breaks through me with breach after breach; He (Q) runs at me like a warrior.

15 "I have sewed (R) sackcloth over my skin and (S) thrust my horn in the dust.

16 "My face is flushed from (T) weeping, (U) and deep darkness is on my eyelids, 17 although there is no (V) violence in my hands, and (W) my prayer is pure.

-Job 16:6-17