1 H ear my prayer, Yahweh! Let my cry come to you.

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

2 D on’t hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Turn your ear to me. Answer me quickly in the day when I call.

Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble; Incline Your ear to me; In the day that I call, answer me speedily.

3 F or my days consume away like smoke. My bones are burned as a torch.

For my days are consumed like smoke, And my bones are burned like a hearth.

4 M y heart is blighted like grass, and withered, for I forget to eat my bread.

My heart is stricken and withered like grass, So that I forget to eat my bread.

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

Because of the sound of my groaning My bones cling to my skin.

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

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

7 I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop.

I lie awake, And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.

8 M y enemies reproach me all day. Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.

My enemies reproach me all day long; Those who deride me swear an oath against me.

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

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

10 B ecause of your indignation and your wrath, for you have taken me up, and thrown me away.

Because of Your indignation and Your wrath; For You have lifted me up and cast me away.

11 M y days are like a long shadow. I have withered like grass.

My days are like a shadow that lengthens, And I wither away like grass.

12 B ut you, Yahweh, will remain forever; your renown endures to all generations.

But You, O Lord, shall endure forever, And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.

13 Y ou will arise and have mercy on Zion; for it is time to have pity on her. Yes, the set time has come.

You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come.

14 F or your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust.

For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, And show favor to her dust.

15 S o the nations will fear Yahweh’s name; all the kings of the earth your glory.

So the nations shall fear the name of the Lord, And all the kings of the earth Your glory.

16 F or Yahweh has built up Zion. He has appeared in his glory.

For the Lord shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory.

17 H e has responded to the prayer of the destitute, and has not despised their prayer.

He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, And shall not despise their prayer.

18 T his will be written for the generation to come. A people which will be created will praise Yah.

This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.

19 F or he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, Yahweh saw the earth;

For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; From heaven the Lord viewed the earth,

20 t o hear the groans of the prisoner; to free those who are condemned to death;

To hear the groaning of the prisoner, To release those appointed to death,

21 t hat men may declare Yahweh’s name in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, And His praise in Jerusalem,

22 w hen the peoples are gathered together, the kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.

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

23 H e weakened my strength along the course. He shortened my days.

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

24 I said, “My God, don’t take me away in the middle of my days. Your years are throughout all generations.

I said, “O my God, Do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years are throughout all generations.

25 O f old, you laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the work of your hands.

Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.

26 T hey will perish, but you will endure. Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment. You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed.

They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed.

27 B ut you are the same. Your years will have no end.

But You are the same, And Your years will have no end.

28 T he children of your servants will continue. Their offspring will be established before you.”

The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You.”