1“A prayer of the afflicted, when in deep distress he poureth out his complaint before the Lord.” Hear my prayer, O LORD! And let my cry come unto thee!

2Hide not thy face from me in the day of my trouble; Incline thine ear to me when I call! Answer me speedily!

3For my life is consumed like smoke, And my bones burn like a brand.

4My heart is smitten and withered like grass; Yea, I forget to eat my bread.

5By reason of my sighing, my bones cleave to my skin;

6I am like the pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl amid ruins.

7I am sleepless; I am like a solitary bird upon the house-top.

8All the day long my enemies reproach me; They who rage against me curse by me.

9For I eat ashes like bread, And mingle my drink with tears.

10On account of thine indignation and thy wrath; For thou hast lifted me up and cast me down!

11My life is like a declining shadow, And I wither like grass.

12But thou, O LORD! endurest for ever, And thy name from generation to generation!

13Thou wilt arise and have pity upon Zion, For the time to favor her, yea, the set time, is come.

14For thy servants take pleasure in her stones; Yea, they have a regard for her dust.

15Then shall the nations fear the name of Jehovah, And all the kings of the earth thy glory.

16For Jehovah will build up Zion; He will appear in his glory.

17He will regard the prayer of the destitute, And not despise their supplication.

18This shall be written for the generation to come, That the people to be born may praise Jehovah.

19For he looketh down from his holy height, From heaven doth he cast his eye upon the earth,

20To listen to the sighs of the prisoner. To release those that are doomed to death;

21That they may declare the name of Jehovah in Zion, And his praise in Jerusalem,

22When the nations are assembled together, And the kingdoms to serve Jehovah.

23He hath weakened my strength on the way, He hath shortened my days.

24I say, O my God! take me not away in the midst of my days! Thy years endure through all generations.

25Of old hast thou laid the foundations of the earth, And the heavens are the work of thy hands;

26They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt thou change them, And they shall be changed;

27But thou art the same, And thy years have no end.

28The children of thy servants shall dwell securely, And their posterity shall be established before thee.