Lamentations 1 & 3

How lonely and lowly my country has become. We use to be full of people with honor and dignity. We were people who worked to get along and were diligent about our work and about truth. We were great among nations.

We were like a princess among the nations, but now we have become a slave. Other nations have dealt treacherously with us. We have gone into captivity, and we find no rest.

Our adversaries are becoming our masters. Our enemies are probing at our expense.

You, Father, are letting us reap the fruit of our transgressions against you. We have left our history and our faith, Father, and now our children have gone into the captivity of the evil one.

Our splendor has departed. Our leaders, even the good ones, flee from the issues like deer without strength.

Our adversaries mock our downfall. They see our hypocrisy and vileness as if we were naked before them. We are unclean, and we have abandoned our destiny. Our collapse is awesome and tragic. It makes me weep

God, your spirit is far from so much of our country. Please bring us to repentance. Turn us back to you.