A Prayer of the Afflicted

Verses 1–11 · a life vanishing like smoke

1. ^{verse 1}Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come before You.
2. ^{verse 2}Do not hide Your face from me in my day of distress. Incline Your ear to me; answer me quickly when I call.
3. ^{verse 3}For my days vanish like smoke, and my bones burn like glowing embers.
4. ^{verse 4}My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass; I even forget to eat my bread.
5. ^{verse 5}Through my loud groaning my skin hangs on my bones.
6. ^{verse 6}I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins.
7. ^{verse 7}I lie awake; I am like a lone bird on a housetop.
8. ^{verse 8}All day long my enemies taunt me; they ridicule me and curse me.
9. ^{verse 9}For I have eaten ashes like bread and mixed my drink with tears
10. ^{verse 10}because of Your indignation and wrath, for You have picked me up and cast me aside.
11. ^{verse 11}My days are like lengthening shadows, and I wither away like grass.

Verses 12–28 · God enthroned forever and hope for generations to come

1. ^{verse 12}But You, O LORD, sit enthroned forever; Your renown endures to all generations.
2. ^{verse 13}You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show her favor — the appointed time has come.
3. ^{verse 14}For Your servants delight in her stones and take pity on her dust.
4. ^{verse 15}So the nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth will fear Your glory.
5. ^{verse 16}For the LORD will rebuild Zion; He has appeared in His glory.
6. ^{verse 17}He will turn toward the prayer of the destitute; He will not despise their prayer.
7. ^{verse 18}Let this be written for the generation to come, so that a people not yet created may praise the LORD.
8. ^{verse 19}For He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary; the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth
9. ^{verse 20}to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to release those condemned to death,
10. ^{verse 21}that they may proclaim the name of the LORD in Zion and praise Him in Jerusalem,
11. ^{verse 22}when peoples and kingdoms assemble to serve the LORD.
12. ^{verse 23}He has broken my strength on the way; He has cut short my days.
13. ^{verse 24}I say: “O my God, do not take me in the midst of my days! Your years go on through all generations.
14. ^{verse 25}In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
15. ^{verse 26}They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, and they will be passed on.
16. ^{verse 27}But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.
17. ^{verse 28}The children of Your servants will dwell securely, and their descendants will be established before You.”