1Hear my prayer, O Lord ; let my cry for help come to you.
2Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me: when I call, answer me speedily.
3For my days pass away like smoke: my bones are burned through as with fire.
4My heart is scorched, withered like grass; I forget to eat my bread.
5By reason of my loud groaning, my flesh clings to my bones.
6Like a desert-owl of the wilderness, like an owl among ruins am I.
7I make my sleepless lament like a bird on the house-top alone.
8All the day wild foes revile me, using my name for a curse.
9For ashes have been my bread, and tears have been mixed with my cup.
10Because of your passionate anger, you did raise me, then hurl me to the ground.
11My days come to an end, shadows lengthen, I wither like grass.
12But you, O Lord , are enthroned forever, your fame endures to all generations.
13You will arise and have pity on Zion; it’s time to be gracious; her hour has come.
14For even her stones are dear to your servants, even the dust of her ruins they look on with love.
15Then the nations will revere the name of the Lord and all the kings of the earth his glory,
16when the Lord shall have built up Zion, and revealed himself in his glory,
17in response to the prayer of the destitute, whose prayer he will not despise.
18Let this be recorded for ages to come, that the Lord may be praised by a people yet unborn.
19For he shall look down from his holy height, from the heavens the Lord will gaze on the earth,
20to hear the groans of the prisoner, to free those who are doomed to die;
21that people may recount the Lord ’s fame in Zion, and the praise of him in Jerusalem,
22when the nations are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to worship the Lord .
23He has broken my strength on the way, he has shortened my days.
24I will say, “My God, take me not hence in the midst of my days. “Your years endure age after age.
25Of old you have founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26They shall perish; but you do stand. They shall all wax old like a garment, and change as a robe you will change them.
27But you are the same, your years are endless.
28The children of your servants abide, evermore shall their seed be before you.”