1 O h that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,

Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence—

2 a s when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

As fire burns brushwood, As fire causes water to boil— To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Your presence!

3 W hen thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.

When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, The mountains shook at Your presence.

4 F or since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.

5 T hou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.

You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways. You are indeed angry, for we have sinned— In these ways we continue; And we need to be saved.

6 B ut we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

7 A nd there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

And there is no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself up to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us, And have consumed us because of our iniquities.

8 B ut now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.

9 B e not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

Do not be furious, O Lord, Nor remember iniquity forever; Indeed, please look—we all are Your people!

10 T hy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

Your holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

11 O ur holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.

Our holy and beautiful temple, Where our fathers praised You, Is burned up with fire; And all our pleasant things are laid waste.

12 W ilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Lord ? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

Will You restrain Yourself because of these things, O Lord ? Will You hold Your peace, and afflict us very severely?