For my sighing comes in place of ¹  my food, ²  and my groanings ³  flow forth like water. ⁴ 

O Lord, you understand my heart’s desire; ¹  my groaning is not hidden from you.

For my life nears its end in pain; my years draw to a close as I groan. ¹  My strength fails me because of ²  my sin, and my bones become brittle. ³ 

those whom the Lord has ransomed will return that way. ¹  They will enter Zion with a happy shout. Unending joy will crown them, ²  happiness and joy will overwhelm ³  them; grief and suffering will disappear. ⁴ 

Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return; they will enter Zion with a happy shout. Unending joy will crown them, ¹  happiness and joy will overwhelm ²  them; grief and suffering will disappear. ³ 

For the music director, to be accompanied by wind instruments; ²  a psalm of David. Listen to what I say, ³  Lord! Carefully consider my complaint! ⁴ 

‘You have said, “I feel so hopeless! ¹  For the Lord has added sorrow to my suffering. ²  I am worn out from groaning. I can’t find any rest.”’”

I have received a distressing message: ¹  “The deceiver deceives, the destroyer destroys. Attack, you Elamites! Lay siege, you Medes! I will put an end to all the groaning!” ² 

Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners! ¹  Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die! ² 

Sighing deeply in his spirit he said, “Why does this generation look for a sign? I tell you the truth, ¹  no sign will be given to this generation.”

“Because of the violence done to the oppressed, ¹  because of the painful cries ²  of the needy, I will spring into action,” ³  says the Lord. “I will provide the safety they so desperately desire.” ⁴ 

God heard their groaning, ¹  God remembered ²  his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob,

in order to hear the painful cries of the prisoners, and to set free those condemned to die, ¹ 

You heard ¹  my plea: ²  “Do not close your ears to my cry for relief!” ³ 

I am exhausted as I groan; all night long I drench my bed in tears; ¹  my tears saturate the cushion beneath me. ² 

So I will weep with sorrow for Moab. I will cry out in sadness for all of Moab. I will moan ¹  for the people of Kir Heres.

Jesus, intensely moved ¹  again, came to the tomb. (Now it was a cave, and a stone was placed across it.) ² 

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls and will give an account for their work. ¹  Let them do this ²  with joy and not with complaints, for this would be no advantage for you.

¹ During ²  that long period of time ³  the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites ⁴  groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out, and their desperate cry ⁵  because of their slave labor went up to God.

I have certainly seen the suffering ¹  of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. ²  Now ³  come, I will send you to Egypt.’ ⁴