1O that thou wouldst rend the heavens, and come down; That the mountains might tremble at thy presence,

2As fire kindleth the dry stubble, As fire causeth water to boil, To make known thy name to thine adversaries, That the nations might tremble at thy presence;

3As thou once didst wonderful things, which we looked not for, And camest down, so that the mountains trembled at thy presence.

4For never have men heard, nor perceived by the ear, Nor hath eye seen, a God beside thee. Who doeth such things for those that trust in him.

5Thou art the friend of those who joyfully do righteousness, Those who remember thee in thy ways. Behold, thou art angry, and we are punished; Long doth the punishment endure, before we are delivered.

6We are all of us an unclean thing; Like a filthy garment is all our righteousness; We are all withered like a leaf, And our sins, like a storm, have blown us away.

7There is none that calleth upon thy name, That stirreth himself up to cleave to thee; For thou hidest thy face from us, And lettest us perish by our iniquities.

8But now, O Jehovah, thou art our father; We are the clay, and thou hast formed us; We are all of us the work of thy hands.

9Be not wroth, O Jehovah, to the uttermost, Nor remember our iniquity forever! Behold, look upon us, we beseech thee, we are all thy people!

10Thy holy cities have become a wilderness; Zion is become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

11Our holy and glorious house, Where our fathers praised thee, Is burned with fire, And all our precious things are laid waste.

12Wilt thou contain thyself at these things, O Jehovah, Wilt thou keep silence, and still grievously afflict us?