1 O h that you would tear the heavens, that you would come down, that the mountains might quake at your 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 kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the water to boil; Make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your 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 you did awesome things which we didn’t look for, you came down, and the mountains quaked at your 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, nor has the eye seen a God besides you, who works for him who waits 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 Y ou meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned. We have been in sin for a long time. 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 have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteousness is like a polluted garment. We all fade like 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 T here is no one who calls on your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have 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, Yahweh, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you our potter. We all are the work of your 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 D on’t be furious, Yahweh, and don’t remember iniquity forever. Look and see, we beg you, we are all your people.

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

10 Y our holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has 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 you, 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 ill you hold yourself back for these things, Yahweh? Will you keep silent, and punish us very severely?

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