^{1 Ref} A Prayer of the afflicted when he is feeble, and before Jehovah poureth out his plaint. O Jehovah, hear my prayer, yea, my cry to Thee cometh.

^{2 Ref} Hide not Thou Thy face from me, In a day of mine adversity, Incline unto me Thine ear, In the day I call, haste, answer me.

^{3 Ref} For consumed in smoke have been my days, And my bones as a fire-brand have burned.

^{4 Ref} Smitten as the herb, and withered, is my heart, For I have forgotten to eat my bread.

^{5 Ref} From the voice of my sighing Hath my bone cleaved to my flesh.

^{6 Ref} I have been like to a pelican of the wilderness, I have been as an owl of the dry places.

^{7 Ref} I have watched, and I am As a bird alone on the roof.

^{8 Ref} All the day mine enemies reproached me, Those mad at me have sworn against me.

^{9 Ref} Because ashes as bread I have eaten, And my drink with weeping have mingled,

^{10 Ref} From Thine indignation and Thy wrath, For Thou hast lifted me up, And dost cast me down.

^{11 Ref} My days as a shadow `are' stretched out, And I -- as the herb I am withered.

^{12 Ref} And Thou, O Jehovah, to the age abidest, And Thy memorial to all generations.

^{13 Ref} Thou -- Thou risest -- Thou pitiest Zion, For the time to favour her, For the appointed time hath come.

^{14 Ref} For Thy servants have been pleased with her stones, And her dust they favour.

^{15 Ref} And nations fear the name of Jehovah, And all kings of the earth Thine honour,

^{16 Ref} For Jehovah hath builded Zion, He hath been seen in His honour,

^{17 Ref} He turned unto the prayer of the destitute, And He hath not despised their prayer.

^{18 Ref} This is written for a later generation, And the people created do praise Jah.

^{19 Ref} For He hath looked From the high place of His sanctuary. Jehovah from heaven unto earth looked attentively,

^{20 Ref} To hear the groan of the prisoner, To loose sons of death,

^{21 Ref} To declare in Zion the name of Jehovah, And His praise in Jerusalem,

^{22 Ref} In the peoples being gathered together, And the kingdoms -- to serve Jehovah.

^{23 Ref} He hath humbled in the way my power, He hath shortened my days.

^{24 Ref} I say, `My God, take me not up in the midst of my days,' Through all generations `are' Thine years.

^{25 Ref} Beforetime the earth Thou didst found, And the work of Thy hands `are' the heavens.

^{26 Ref} They -- They perish, and Thou remainest, And all of them as a garment become old, As clothing Thou changest them, And they are changed.

^{27 Ref} And Thou `art' the same, and Thine years are not finished.

^{28 Ref} The sons of Thy servants do continue, And their seed before Thee is established!

^{1 Ref} <A Prayer of the man who is in trouble, when he is overcome, and puts his grief before the Lord.> Give ear to my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come to you.

^{2 Ref} Let not your face be veiled from me in the day of my trouble; give ear to me, and let my cry be answered quickly.

^{3 Ref} My days are wasted like smoke, and my bones are burned up as in a fire.

^{4 Ref} My heart is broken; it has become dry and dead like grass, so that I give no thought to food.

^{5 Ref} Because of the voice of my sorrow, my flesh is wasted to the bone.

^{6 Ref} I am like a bird living by itself in the waste places; like the night-bird in a waste of sand.

^{7 Ref} I keep watch like a bird by itself on the house-top.

^{8 Ref} My haters say evil of me all day; those who are violent against me make use of my name as a curse.

^{9 Ref} I have had dust for bread and my drink has been mixed with weeping:

^{10 Ref} Because of your passion and your wrath, for I have been lifted up and then made low by you.

^{11 Ref} My days are like a shade which is stretched out; I am dry like the grass.

^{12 Ref} But you, O Lord, are eternal; and your name will never come to an end.

^{13 Ref} You will again get up and have mercy on Zion: for the time has come for her to be comforted.

^{14 Ref} For your servants take pleasure in her stones, looking with love on her dust.

^{15 Ref} So the nations will give honour to the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will be in fear of his glory:

^{16 Ref} When the Lord has put up the walls of Zion, and has been been in his glory;

^{17 Ref} When he has given ear to the prayer of the poor, and has not put his request on one side.

^{18 Ref} This will be put in writing for the coming generation, and the people of the future will give praise to the Lord.

^{19 Ref} For from his holy place the Lord has seen, looking down on the earth from heaven;

^{20 Ref} Hearing the cry of the prisoner, making free those for whom death is ordered;

^{21 Ref} So that they may give out the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

^{22 Ref} When the peoples are come together, and the kingdoms, to give worship to the Lord.

^{23 Ref} He has taken my strength from me in the way; he has made short my days.

^{24 Ref} I will say, O my God, take me not away before my time; your years go on through all generations:

^{25 Ref} In the past you put the earth on its base, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

^{26 Ref} They will come to an end, but you will still go on; they all will become old like a coat, and like a robe they will be changed:

^{27 Ref} But you are the unchanging One, and your years will have no end.

^{28 Ref} The children of your servants will have a safe resting-place, and their seed will be ever before you.