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

Oh, that You would rend the heavens and that You would come down, that the mountains might quake and flow down at Your presence—

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

As when fire kindles the brushwood and the fire causes the waters 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 quaked at thy presence.

When You did terrible things which we did not expect, You came down; the mountains quaked at Your presence.

4 F or from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who worketh for him that waiteth for him.

For from of old no one has heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who works and shows Himself active on behalf of him who waits for Him.

5 T hou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou wast wroth, and we sinned: in them have we been of long time; and shall we be saved?

You meet and spare him who joyfully works righteousness (uprightness and justice), remembering You in Your ways. Behold, You were angry, for we sinned; we have long continued in our sins. And shall we be saved?

6 F or we are all become as one that is unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment: and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteousness (our best deeds of rightness and justice) is like filthy rags or a polluted garment; we all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take 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 by means of our iniquities.

And no one calls on Your name and awakens and bestirs himself to take and keep hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and have delivered us into the power of our iniquities.

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

Yet, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our Potter, and we all are the work of Your hand.

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

Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord, or remember iniquity forever. Behold, consider, we beseech You, we are all Your people.

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

Your holy cities have become a wilderness; Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

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

Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised You, is burned with fire, and all our pleasant and desirable places are in ruins.

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

Considering these, will You restrain Yourself, O Lord ? Will You keep silent and not command our deliverance but humble and afflict us exceedingly?