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

Hear my prayer, O Lord! Let my cry for help 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.

Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble. Turn Your ear to me. Hurry to answer me in the day when I call.

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

For my days go up in smoke. And my bones are burned as with fire.

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

My heart is crushed and dried like grass. And I forget to eat my food.

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

I am nothing but skin and bones because of my loud cries.

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

I am like a pelican in the desert. I am like an owl of the waste places.

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

I lie awake. And I feel like a bird alone on the roof.

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

Those who hate me have made it hard for me all day long. Those who are angry with me curse my name.

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

For I have eaten ashes like bread and have mixed my drink with tears,

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

because of Your great anger. For You have lifted me up and thrown me away.

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

My days are like the evening shadow. I dried up like grass.

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

But You and Your name, O Lord, will always be forever and to all people for all time.

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

You will rise up and have loving-pity on Zion. For it is time to show favor to her. The set time has come.

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

For Your servants respect her 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.

The nations will fear the name of the Lord. All the kings of the earth will fear Your shining-greatness.

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

For the Lord has built up Zion. He will come in His shining-greatness.

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

He will answer the prayer of those in need. He will not turn from their prayer.

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

This will be written for the children-to-come. So a people not yet born may give thanks to 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 His holy place. He watched the earth from heaven,

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

to hear the loud cries of those in prison and to set free those who are being sent to death.

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

So the name of the Lord will be made known in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem,

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

when the people gather together and the nations gather to serve the Lord.

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

He has taken away my strength. He has taken days from my life.

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, do not take me away when my days are only half done. Your years go on to all people of all time.

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

You made the earth in the beginning. You made the heavens with 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 will be destroyed but You will always live. They will all become old as clothing becomes old. You will change them like a coat. And they will be changed,

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

but You are always the same. Your years will never end.

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

The children of those who work for You will live on. And their children will be set before You.”