1 H ear my prayer, O Lord! Let my cry for help come to You.

Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, And let my cry come unto thee.

2 D o 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.

Hide not thy face from me in the day of my distress: Incline thine ear unto me; In the day when I call answer me speedily.

3 F or my days go up in smoke. And my bones are burned as with fire.

For my days consume away like smoke, And my bones are burned as a firebrand.

4 M y heart is crushed and dried like grass. And I forget to eat my food.

My heart is smitten like grass, and withered; For I forget to eat my bread.

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

By reason of the voice of my groaning My bones cleave to my flesh.

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

I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am become as an owl of the waste places.

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

I watch, and am become like a sparrow That is alone upon the house-top.

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

Mine enemies reproach me all the day; They that are mad against me do curse by me.

9 F or I have eaten ashes like bread and have mixed my drink with tears,

For I have eaten ashes like bread, And mingled my drink with weeping,

10 b ecause of Your great anger. For You have lifted me up and thrown me away.

Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: For thou hast taken me up, and cast me away.

11 M y days are like the evening shadow. I dried up like grass.

My days are like a shadow that declineth; And I am withered like grass.

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

But thou, O Jehovah, wilt abide for ever; And thy memorial name unto all generations.

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

Thou wilt arise, and have mercy upon Zion; For it is time to have pity upon her, Yea, the set time is come.

14 F or Your servants respect her stones and show pity for her dust.

For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, And have pity upon her dust.

15 T he nations will fear the name of the Lord. All the kings of the earth will fear Your shining-greatness.

So the nations shall fear the name of Jehovah, And all the kings of the earth thy glory.

16 F or the Lord has built up Zion. He will come in His shining-greatness.

For Jehovah hath built up Zion; He hath appeared in his glory.

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

He hath regarded the prayer of the destitute, And hath not despised their prayer.

18 T his will be written for the children-to-come. So a people not yet born may give thanks to the Lord.

This shall be written for the generation to come; And a people which shall be created shall praise Jehovah.

19 F or He looked down from His holy place. He watched the earth from heaven,

For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; From heaven did Jehovah behold the earth;

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

To hear the sighing of the prisoner; To loose those that are appointed to death;

21 S o the name of the Lord will be made known in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem,

That men may declare the name of Jehovah in Zion, And his praise in Jerusalem;

22 w hen the people gather together and the nations gather to serve the Lord.

When the peoples are gathered together, And the kingdoms, to serve Jehovah.

23 H e has taken away my strength. He has taken days from my life.

He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days.

24 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.

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

25 Y ou made the earth in the beginning. You made the heavens with Your hands.

Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of thy hands.

26 T hey 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,

They 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:

27 b ut You are always the same. Your years will never end.

But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end.

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

The children of thy servants shall continue, And their seed shall be established before thee.