1 H ear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee.

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come to You.

2 H ide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.

Hide not Your face from me in the day when I am in distress! Incline Your ear to me; in the day when I call, answer me speedily.

3 F or my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.

For my days consume away like smoke, and my bones burn like a firebrand or like a hearth.

4 M y heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.

My heart is smitten like grass and withered, so that I forget to eat my food.

5 B y reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.

By reason of my loud groaning my flesh cleaves to my bones.

6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.

I am like a melancholy pelican or vulture of the wilderness; I am like a owl of the waste places.

7 I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.

I am sleepless and lie awake, like a bereaved sparrow alone on the housetop.

8 M ine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.

My adversaries taunt and reproach me all the day; and they who are angry with me use my name as a curse.

9 F or I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.

For I have eaten the ashes as if they were bread and have mingled my drink with weeping

10 B ecause of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.

Because of Your indignation and Your wrath, for You have taken me up and cast me away.

11 M y days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

My days are like an evening shadow that stretches out and declines; and I am withered like grass.

12 B ut thou, O Lord, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.

But You, O Lord, are enthroned forever; and the fame of Your name endures to all generations.

13 T hou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.

You will arise and have mercy and loving-kindness for Zion, for it is time to have pity and compassion for her; yes, the set time has come.

14 F or thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.

For Your servants take pleasure in the stones and show pity for her dust.

15 S o the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

So the nations shall fear and worshipfully revere the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Your glory.

16 W hen the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

When the Lord builds up Zion, He will appear in His glory;

17 H e will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

He will regard the plea of the destitute and will not despise their prayer.

18 T his shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.

Let this be recorded for the generation yet unborn, that a people yet to be created shall praise the Lord.

19 F or he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth;

For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary, from heaven did the Lord behold the earth,

20 T o hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

To hear the sighing and groaning of the prisoner, to loose those who are appointed to death,

21 T o declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

So that men may declare the name of the Lord in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem

22 W hen the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.

When peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to worship and serve the Lord.

23 H e weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.

He has afflicted and weakened my strength, humbling and bringing me low in the way; He has shortened my days.

24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.

I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days, You Whose years continue throughout all generations.

25 O f old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

At the beginning You existed and laid the foundations of the earth; the heavens are the work of Your hands.

26 T hey shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

They shall perish, but You shall remain and endure; yes, all of them shall wear out and become old like a garment. Like clothing You shall change them, and they shall be changed and pass away.

27 B ut thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

But You remain the same, and Your years shall have no end.

28 T he children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.

The children of Your servants shall dwell safely and continue, and their descendants shall be established before You.