A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before Yahweh.

• ¹Hear my prayer, Yahweh!
• Let my cry come to you.

• ²Don’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.

• ³For my days consume away like smoke.
• My bones are burned as a torch.

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

• ⁵By reason of the voice of my groaning,
• my bones stick to my skin.

• ⁶I am like a pelican of the wilderness.
• I have become as an owl of the waste places.
• ⁷I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop.

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

• ⁹For I have eaten ashes like bread,
• and mixed my drink with tears,

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

• ¹¹My days are like a long shadow.
• I have withered like grass.

• ¹²But you, Yahweh, will remain forever;
• your renown endures to all generations.

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

• ¹⁴For your servants take pleasure in her stones,
• and have pity on her dust.

• ¹⁵So the nations will fear the name of Yahweh;
• all the kings of the earth your glory.

• ¹⁶For Yahweh has built up Zion.
• He has appeared in his glory.

• ¹⁷He has responded to the prayer of the destitute,
• and has not despised their prayer.

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

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

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

• ²¹that men may declare the name of Yahweh in Zion,
• and his praise in Jerusalem;

• ²²when the peoples are gathered together,
• the kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.

• ²³He weakened my strength along the course.
• He shortened my days.

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

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

• ²⁶They 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.

• ²⁷But you are the same.
• Your years will have no end.

• ²⁸The children of your servants will continue.
• Their seed will be established before you.”