Prayer of an Afflicted Man for Mercy on Himself and on Zion.

A Prayer of the afflicted; when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint to God.

1Hear my prayer, O LORD,

And let my cry for help come to You!

2Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress!

Incline Your ear to me;

In the day when I call, answer me quickly.

3For my days have vanished in smoke,

And my bones have been scorched like a hearth.

4My heart has been struck like grass and withered,

Indeed, [absorbed by my heartache] I forget to eat my food.

5Because of the sound of my groaning [in suffering and trouble]

My bones cling to my flesh.

6I am like a [mournful] [a]vulture of the wilderness;

I am like a [desolate] owl of the wasteland.

7I am sleepless and lie awake [mourning],

I have become like a lonely bird on a housetop.

8My enemies taunt me all day long;

Those who ridicule me use my name as a curse.

9For I have eaten ashes like bread,

And have mingled my drink with tears

10Because of Your indignation and Your wrath,

For You have lifted me up and thrown me away.

11My days are like an evening shadow that lengthens and vanishes [with the sun];

And as for me, I wither away like grass.

12But You, O LORD, are enthroned forever [ruling eternally as sovereign];

And [the fame and glory of] Your name [endures] to all generations.

13You will arise and have compassion on Zion,

For it is time to be gracious and show favor to her;

Yes, the appointed time [the moment designated] has come.

14For Your servants find [melancholy] pleasure in the stones [of her ruins]

And feel pity for her dust.

15So the nations will fear the name of the LORD,

And all the kings of the earth [will recognize] Your glory.

16For the LORD has built up Zion;

He has appeared in His glory and brilliance;

17He has regarded the prayer of the destitute,

And has not despised their prayer.

18Let this be recorded for the generation to come,

That a people yet to be created will praise the LORD.

19For He looked down from His holy height [of His sanctuary],

From heaven the LORD gazed on the earth,

20To hear the sighing of the prisoner,

To set free those who were doomed to death,

21So that people may declare the name of the LORD in Zion

And His praise in Jerusalem,

22When the peoples are gathered together,

And the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

23He has exhausted my strength [humbling me with sorrow] in the way;

He has shortened my days.

24I said, “O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days;

Your years are [eternal] throughout all generations.

25“At the beginning You founded the earth;

The heavens are the work of Your hands.

26“Even they will perish, but You endure;

Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment.

Like clothing You will change them and they shall be changed.

27“But You remain the same,

And Your years will never end.

28“The children of Your servants will continue,

And their descendants will be established before You.”