- 1Hear my prayer, the Lord! Let my cry come to you.
- 2Don’t hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Turn your ear to me. Answer me quickly in the day when I call.
- 3For my days consume away like smoke. My bones are burned as a torch.
- 4My heart is blighted like grass, and withered, for I forget to eat my bread.
- 5By reason of the voice of my groaning, my bones stick to my skin.
- 6I am like a pelican of the wilderness. I have become as an owl of the waste places.
- 7I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop.
- 8My enemies reproach me all day. Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.
- 9For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,
- 10Because of your indignation and your wrath, for you have taken me up, and thrown me away.
- 11My days are like a long shadow. I have withered like grass.
- 12But you, the Lord, will remain forever; your renown endures to all generations.
- 13You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for it is time to have pity on her. Yes, the set time has come.
- 14For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust.
- 15So the nations will fear the Lord’s name; all the kings of the earth your glory.
- 16For the Lord has built up Zion. He has appeared in his glory.
- 17He has responded to the prayer of the destitute, and has not despised their prayer.
- 18This will be written for the generation to come. A people which will be created will praise Yah.
- 19For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, the Lord saw the earth;
- 20to hear the groans of the prisoner; to free those who are condemned to death;
- 21that men may declare the Lord’s name in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
- 22when the peoples are gathered together, the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.
- 23He weakened my strength along the course. He shortened my days.
- 24I said, “My God, don’t take me away in the midst of my days. Your years are throughout all generations.
- 25Of old, you laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the work of your hands.
- 26They will perish, but you will endure. Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment. You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed.
- 27But you are the same. Your years will have no end.
- 28The children of your servants will continue. Their seed will be established before you.”