1
Hear my prayer, O LORD,
And let my cry come to You.
2
a Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble;
Incline Your ear to me;
In the day that I call, answer me speedily.
3
For my days 1 are b consumed like smoke,
And my bones are burned like a hearth.
4
My heart is stricken and withered like grass,
So that I forget to eat my bread.
5
Because of the sound of my groaning
My bones cling to my 2 skin.
6
I am like a pelican of the wilderness;
I am like an owl of the desert.
7
I lie awake,
And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.
8
My enemies reproach me all day long;
Those who deride me swear an oath against me.
9
For I have eaten ashes like bread,
And mingled my drink with weeping,
10
Because of Your indignation and Your wrath;
For You have lifted me up and cast me away.
11
My days are like a shadow that lengthens,
And I wither away like grass.
12
But You, O LORD, shall endure forever,
And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.
13
You will arise and have mercy on Zion;
For the time to favor her,
Yes, the set time, has come.
14
For Your servants take pleasure in her stones,
And show favor to her dust.
15
So the 3 nations shall c fear the name of the LORD,
And all the kings of the earth Your glory.
16
For the LORD shall build up Zion;
d He shall appear in His glory.
17
e He shall regard the prayer of the destitute,
And shall not despise their prayer.
18
This will be f written for the generation to come,
That g a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.
19
For He h looked down from the height of His sanctuary;
From heaven the LORD viewed the earth,
20
i To hear the groaning of the prisoner,
To release those appointed to death,
21
To j declare the name of the LORD in Zion,
And His praise in Jerusalem,
22
k When the peoples are gathered together,
And the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
23
He weakened my strength in the way;
He l shortened my days.
24
m I said, "O my God,
Do not take me away in the midst of my days;
n Your years are throughout all generations.
25
o Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
26
p They will perish, but You will 4 endure;
Yes, they will all grow old like a garment;
Like a cloak You will change them,
And they will be changed.
27
But q You are the same,
And Your years will have no end.
28
r The children of Your servants will continue,
And their descendants will be established before You."